Founders of Harlem (New York) in 1665

New York City was once a collection of rural villages plus one central town south of the wall, hence the name Wall Street. One of the first villages was Harlem, yes, that Harlem, and it was founded by a collection of farmers. Some of them were relatively young, but none-the-less they "plowed" ahead and became farmers.

See below the signatures of these folks from NYC Archives, although my source was "Jan Dijckman of Harlem and his Descendants".

The north part of Manhattan was full of references to Dyckman family with Dyckman Street (still there), Dyckman House (last Dutch farmhouse in Manhattan, owned by New York City now), Dykemans Meadows (Harlem Canal split this in half).

Dutch cheese (what a treat)

Selection of cheeses from Schipol airport (AMS) all wrapped for transportation to Canada. Border officials will not question dairy product imports if well wrapped. They do question open bags of food products, even herbs.

Signature of Jan Dijckman of Harlem NY

St Anton Austria

Happy summer camp kid

Dyckman House in Harlem NY

The last farmhouse on Manhattan dates from 1700's and was occupied by William Dyckman who was a farmer and businessman in Northern Manhattan, Harlem...but what is now Spanish Harlem.

This area is very overbuilt with tenement houses now surrounding the old farmhouse. The street that it is on (Broadway) has been flattened and straightened over the centuries and now is 10 feet or more lower than the front entrance of the farmhouse.

The land around the house is very peaceful as being now 10-20 feet higher than the local traffic, has a lower noise level, plus many trees are planted around the terrain affording extra sound dampening.

A picture below shows the look at the turn of the previous century, (over 100 years ago).

There is a website for this museum which is www.dyckmanfarmhouse.org

spray and wash from Newfoundland Ferry

Cap Rouge Bridge from moving train (Cap Rouge, QC)

Wreckhouse area in West Newfoundland...winds coming off Gulf of St.Lawrence was responsible for blowing the Newfie Bullet (Newfoundland train know for its lack of speed) off its tracks at this location

Train through Montreal