Half Moon & Clermont ships at West 119th Street, ca. 1909.

In the last week of September and the first week in October 1909, the city of New York observed the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, which commemorated of the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s first steamer trip.

The two boats seen here were replicas of the two original vessels (Hudson's Half Moon and Fulton's Clermont). They were paraded through New York's waterways during the event's grand naval parade of American and foreign warships. This display along with military parades on Manhattan streets were a means of highlighting American martial supremacy and national identity and pride.