My home town (a hamlet) was settled on Henry Hudson's second voyage, although it had long been populated by Native Americans. The ship, Half Moon, carried ballast stones from Europe, a red rock that was used as grave markers. Growing up in the 60's, they were still there, in the "Indian graveyard". Now all that was covered over by houses, and if you don't look quick at the historical marker, you'd never know.
Later, in the mid-to late 1800s, it was known as the Violet growing capital.
Isn't that molasses story the origin of the old saying about "Slow as molasses in January"?