Several Dutch officials, including Prime Minster Jan Peter Balkenende, say they made recent visits to New York to honor their people's link to the city.

The New York Times reported Sunday that while the official celebration for New York's 400th birthday celebration doesn't begin until next year, a number of Dutch officials were in town last week to honor its rich Dutch heritage.

The celebration recognizes Henry Hudson's journey to the New World in 1609, more than 80 years after other European explorers landed at New York without capitalizing on their venture. The Dutch commissioned Hudson's expedition.

With nearly 25,000 current city residents claiming to be of Dutch heritage, the country will offer up for display a number of historical items regarding the roots of the largest U.S. city. The Times said among the items headed to New York for next year's celebration are papers documenting the $24 sale of Manhattan Island by the indigenous tribes to Dutch settler Peter Minuit, along with additional materials describing the lives of the area's first Dutch settlers. (c) UPI