Fort Orange was a Dutch trading post established in 1624 near the present-day city of Albany, New York. It served as a key location for the fur trade between the Dutch and the Native American tribes in the region. The fort was named after the House of Orange, the royal family of the Netherlands, and played a significant role in the early colonial economy. The fort was constructed as a wooden stockade and later reinforced with stone. It became a center for commerce and military defense, helping to secure Dutch interests in the area against rival powers, including the English and French. Fort Orange was eventually abandoned in 1664 when the English seized control of the territory.