The Onrust was one of the first sailing ships built in the New World and the first European vessel to explore the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound. On his fourth voyage to the New World in 1613–1614, Dutch explorer Adriaen Block lost his vessel when it burned off Manhattan Island, and over the winter of 1613/14 he and his crew built a new vessel, the Onrust. In April of 1614, she reached present-day Hartford, Connecticut, about 60 miles up river from Long Island Sound, and went on to explore large parts of the Northeast. Block's efforts produced detailed coastal maps of the region, contributed to the founding of New Netherlands, led to the establishment of a Dutch fort in Hartford and at the mouth of the river, and opened trade with Native Americans. The long-term effects of this exploration significantly affected the river's environment and Native American culture. A replica of the Onrust was built by the Onrust Project, a New York not-for-profit, with the help of more than 250 volunteers, and launched in 2009 as a floating museum that educates students and adults about early colonial history, the fur trade, and the Age of Exploration.

Photo: Michael Herrick

Photo: Michael Herrick