When surfing the internet, I discovered some great image databases with early images of New York City. For most of the emigrants from the Netherlands that went to the United States, New York was their first meeting with their new home. These online resources offer a nice glimpse into their world.

The New York Public Library has many digital collections. I found the following digital resources especially interesting:

• NYPL Digital Gallery
  When searching for terms like "Castle Garden", "Ellis Island" or "Dutch" I found some amazing photographs including women in traditional Dutch dress in the Big Apple.
• American shores: Maps of the middle Atlantic Region to 1850
  I'm a huge fan of historical maps so this site really caught my eye.
• Mid-Manhattan Library Picture Collection Online
  Search for "Dutch", "Castle Garden" or "Ellis Island" to find some great drawings, etchings and photographs of immigrants.
• Phelps Stokes collection of American Historical Prints
  This collection includes images from the New Netherlands periods onwards.