Went to the City Beer Hall for Science Cafe, an hour long lecture/discussion put on by the NYS Museum. The topic this time was "Beverwijck, A 17th-c. Dutch Village, Above and Below Ground", and they talked about old Albany (New Netherland) in the 1600s - the fur trade (you had to be a property owner here in order to participate in fur trading, which led to growth in the region, as people invested here for the money to be made), the river running where State Street is now (why it's so wide? a road was built on both sides of the river.), the fur trader's shack built from birch bark, and more.

How some of what we know is from archaeologists' study and excavation, and some is from examination of the surviving records. The history of New Netherland is pretty interesting and also much less known than America as British colonies. Life was a lot better under Dutch rule; the Dutch allowed everyone to believe what they did - no one was persecuted nor prosecuted for beliefs. Also, women had rights! which were lost once Britain won us in the war with the Netherlands.

One more thing I learned: A knickerbocker was the person who made marbles, and the Knicks wear the Dutch colors of blue, white and orange.

Very enjoyable program, and a delicious sour beer to go along with it.