Rotterdam has played its part since the beginning of the often sad migrant history. Many Europeans left for America from this harbour town, in an effort to escape religious persecution and/or poverty: as early as 1620, a group of English people left for America from the Delfshaven ( formally a part of Delft, now one of the oldest parts of Rotterdam ) after having fled to the Netherlands in 1609 as a result of their religious convictions. This crossing by the Pilgrim Fathers marked the beginning of emigration from this city on the Maas. It would be nice to think that the wind vane on one of the towers of the hotel, the ship, represents the schooner Speedwell, on which they departed.
In actual fact, it is the ship ?De Halve Maen? with which Henry Hudson left Amsterdam in 1609 to seek passage to the East Indies via the North-East on behalf of the Oost-Indische Compagnie. But instead, Hudson discovered Manhattan and sailed up the river which was later named after him. In 1614, New Amsterdam was founded, later to become know as New York. "De Halve Maen" is also seen on the familiar Holland-Amerika Lijn emblem, with in the background the silhouette of the Nieuw Amsterdam II.
In 1869, Antoine Plate F.JNZ from Rotterdam wrote an article in which he argued the necessity of introducing a direct steam service to America. Together with Jhr. Otto Reuchlin, he founded Plate Reuchlin & Co. and built the first ship "Rotterdam" in 1872.
In 1873, the N.V. Nederlandsch Amerikaanse Stoomvaart Maatschappij NASM was established (see also the monument in front of the hotel), which became officially known as the Holland-Amerika Lijn in 1896. With the founding of the NASM and the construction of the Nieuwe Waterweg in 1885, Rotterdam was able to assume a prominent role in migrant transport.
The NASM ships maintained regular shipping link from that time, albeit with ups and downs, the primary destination being: NEW YORK! In the years 1880-1925, reaching a peak between 1901-1914 (although a peak in migrant history usually signifies a low point in world history), East European migrants, usually Jews, would board ship in Rotterdam in huge numbers. Again, their motivation for moving to America was often an unhappy one. They took not only their shabby bundles, packages and other possessions, but also their common shared dreams. This kept them going during the long and often arduous journey as steerage (between decks passenger) to the Promised Land; America! America! Freedom of opportunity, freedom of thought, freedom to worship God in their own way.
In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, 1,300 journeys were made: 90,000 saloon passengers and 40,000 third class passengers made the crossing.
The 1960s marked the beginning of a permanent decline in passenger transport, as competition offered by civil aviation became too strong. By the end of the decade, most ships had been sold to countries abroad, or were converted tot cruise vessels.
On 8 November 1971, the Nieuw Amsterdam II left for Rotterdam to make its final crossing, marking the definitive end to a piece of Rotterdam shipping history covering over 100 years. In 1977, the head office of the HAL moved to Seattle, on the west coast of America.
The Holland-Amerika Lijn had become the Holland-America Line. In 1984, the New York office was closed, and on may 1st that same year, the head office on the Wilhelminakade was put up for sale.