Start Date

As today's New York Times points out, the year that appears on the official seal of the City of New York -- 1625 -- was picked seemingly arbitrarily in 1974 and doesn't refer to any event in particular.

Historians are hoping that the hoopla over next year's 400th anniversary of Henrik Hudson's discovery of New York harbor might bring the city to re-investigate the logic of the official dating of the city's founding.

Other possibilities? 1623 or 1524 -- when the first Dutch settlers arrived (the year depends on which historians you believe). 1626 -- when the city was "purchased." Or 1653 -- when the city received an official charter.

Hopefully it all get sorted out before any official 400th anniversary celebration has to occur.