This virtual program is part of our Winter Speaker Series, and will be presented on Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to all current SCHS members before the program.

Johan Varekamp, professor at Wesleyan University, will discuss “The Life and Times of Adriaen Block: Dutch Explorer, Mapmaker, and Fur Trader.” Adriaen Block (c. 1567–1627) was a Dutch explorer and merchant known for his voyages in the early 1600s that helped map parts of the northeastern United States. In 1614, Block became the first to document Manhattan and the surrounding waters as an archipelago. His explorations provided valuable geographic knowledge, and he played a key role in establishing Dutch trade in the region, particularly in the fur trade with Indigenous peoples. His ship, the Onrust (“Restless”), was the first European vessel built in the Americas.