Spuyten Duyvil Creek
This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.
There has been much speculation concerning the origin of the name “Spuyten Duyvil.” Dutch in origin, Spuyten Duyvil can be translated in two ways, depending on the pronunciation. One translation is “Devil’s whirlpool,” and indeed, sections of the creek were sometimes turbulent during high tide. The second interpretation is “to spite the Devil.” This translation was popularized by Washington Irving’s story in which a Dutch trumpeter vowed to swim across the turbulent creek during the British attack on New Amsterdam “en spijt den Duyvil (in spite of the Devil).”
I have taken this train many time over the past -- 100+ years
. Normally an enjoyable trip from Poughkeepsie to NYC as the rails run parallel, and very close to the river. It was amusing watching the newscasters ( talking heads) try to pronounce "Spuyten Duyvil".
Feel very sorry for the families who lost loved ones or those who got seriously hurt in the accident.
Hershey
This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.
There has been much speculation concerning the origin of the name “Spuyten Duyvil.” Dutch in origin, Spuyten Duyvil can be translated in two ways, depending on the pronunciation. One translation is “Devil’s whirlpool,” and indeed, sections of the creek were sometimes turbulent during high tide. The second interpretation is “to spite the Devil.” This translation was popularized by Washington Irving’s story in which a Dutch trumpeter vowed to swim across the turbulent creek during the British attack on New Amsterdam “en spijt den Duyvil (in spite of the Devil).”
I have taken this train many time over the past -- 100+ years
. Normally an enjoyable trip from Poughkeepsie to NYC as the rails run parallel, and very close to the river. It was amusing watching the newscasters ( talking heads) try to pronounce "Spuyten Duyvil". Feel very sorry for the families who lost loved ones or those who got seriously hurt in the accident.
Hershey