New York State History

New York is a state of superlatives, ideally located and richly endowed. In many repects, it is a nerve center of the nation, a major marketplace, and a national leader in manufacturing, finance, fashion, art, and communications. Second to California in population, New York is the region that George Washington foresaw a "seat of empire" - hence its nickname, the Empire State. New York City, (the nation's largest city, was the first U.S. capital (1789-1790), and Washington was first inaugurated (1789) there.