Hendrick Christiaensen

Who was Hendrick Christiaensen?

Hendrick Christiaensen was a Dutch explorer who was involved in the earlier exploration of what became the colony of New Netherland.

In 1611, Christiaensen paid two visits to Manhattan in his Fortuyn, including one with fellow explorer Adriaen Block in his Tyger. Upon his return to the Netherlands in 1612, he brought back with him two young native Americans who were the sons of a local sachem. The Dutch were fascinated with the boys, whom they called Orson and Valentine Christiaensen.

In 1613, Christiaensen returned with Block in their vessels and created the first map of the region that showed Manhattan and Long Island as separate geographical entities.

In 1616, Hendrick Christiaensen was murdered by Orson near present-day Albany, New York.