The Poesten Kill has sustained Rensselaer County communities for
generations. Native Americans first gained sustenance from the stream's
waters and hunted and gathered on its shores. Its wild places, large
waterfalls and natural springs served as healthful inspiration to
artists and adventurers. And during the nineteenth century, urban
industrialists tapped its power to provide work opportunities for Irish,
German, French and Italian immigrants. John Warren paints a vivid
picture of the kill, highlighting the force and wonder that has stirred
naturalists and entrepreneurs for centuries.