Onrust facts for kids
| History | |
|---|---|
| Built: | Winter 1614 |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 44.5 ft (13.6 m) |
| Capacity | 16 tons |
The Onrust (pronounced "ON-roost") was a special Dutch ship built a long time ago, in 1614. Its name means "Restless" in Dutch. This ship was very important because it was the first ship ever built in what is now New York State. It was also the first ship made in America specifically for trading animal furs.
The Onrust was built by a Dutch explorer named Adriaen Block and his crew. Their first ship, the Tyger, had been destroyed by fire in the winter of 1613. So, they needed a new ship to continue their explorations.
The crew worked for four months in the winter of 1614 to build the Onrust. They built it somewhere in New York Bay. It's thought that local Native Americans might have helped them. This was because a crew member named Jon Rodriquez had stayed on an island nearby during an earlier trip and had made friends with the local people.
The Onrust was about 44.5 feet long. That's like the length of a large school bus! It could carry about 16 tons of cargo. This was perfect for carrying valuable animal furs.
Exploring New Lands
In 1614, Adriaen Block sailed the Onrust through some tricky waters. He went through whirlpools called Hellegat in the East River. Then he sailed into Long Island Sound. While exploring, he named Block Island after himself.
Block was also the first European to travel up the Connecticut River. He sailed about 60 miles up the river, reaching rapids near Enfield. During his voyages, Block found new water routes. He also set up trading networks with Native American villages.
The Onrust's journeys helped create the first two accurate maps of the East Coast. These maps were very important for future explorers. Later in 1614, Block met up with another ship he commanded, the Fortuyn. This happened near Cape Cod. Block then sailed back to the Netherlands on October 1, 1614. The Onrust was last heard of in 1616. It was heading to explore the "New River," which we now call the Delaware River. At that time, it was under the command of Cornelius Hendrickson.
Building a New Onrust
From 2006 to 2009, a group called the Onrust Project built a copy, or "replica," of the original Onrust. This group was a non-profit organization. Don Rittner and Greta Wagle led the project. They built the ship at the Schenectady County Historical Society's Mabee Farm Historic Site in Rotterdam Junction, NY.
Expert shipbuilders helped lead the team of volunteers. Gerald DeWeerdt from the Netherlands was the master shipwright. Howard Mittleman from Schenectady, N.Y., was also a key shipwright.
The builders used both modern tools and old-fashioned hand tools. They followed 17th-century Dutch shipbuilding methods. These methods were rediscovered by people who study old ships in the Netherlands. The replica was mostly made from white oak wood. Its deck was made of pine. Much of the wood was cut nearby by volunteers.
The replica Onrust is held together by more than 4,000 special wooden pegs. These pegs are called trunnels. They were made by hand from black locust trees. There are also iron rivets. Many of the metal parts and rivets were made by local blacksmiths. They used wrought iron. Other parts, like the cannons, were made from real bronze.
The replica Onrust was launched into the Mohawk River on May 20, 2009. It was able to take part in the NY400 celebration that year. This event marked 400 years since Henry Hudson's famous voyage.
