Evolution of Manhattan

Manhattan’s story begins with the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of the island, who lived there long before European settlers arrived.

The Lenape were part of the Algonquian-speaking tribes and relied on the island’s natural resources, including forests, rivers, and fertile land, for hunting, fishing, and farming.

The island’s name itself, Manhattan, is believed to derive from the Lenape word Manna-hata, meaning island of many hills.

This early period lasted until the early 17th century when European colonizers began to arrive.

The Dutch were the first Europeans to establish a settlement in 1624, founding New Amsterdam near the southern tip of the island.

This marked the beginning of Manhattan’s transformation from a Lenape homeland into a colonial outpost.