Shipwreck and Salvation – The Wreck of “The Prince Maurice” 1657

On the night of March 13, 1657, as a Nor’easter raged, a Dutch ship, The Prince Maurice, slammed into the coast of Fire Island. Aboard were 129 souls – passengers, crew and Dutch West India Company soldiers.  Ashore were Indigenous people on their coastal night watch, listening to the ship crash against the shoal.

Until now the story of this dramatic Long Island shipwreck and rescue has been known only to a handful of historians. But the rescue on an ice laden beach has been part of Indigenous oral history for 400 years.

Now, thanks to a generous grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the New Amsterdam History Center’s groundbreaking Mapping Early New York has merged these written and oral histories of Long Island. Combining old fashioned research and new technology including AI, a new window on history has opened wide for children, their parents, historians, map nerds, and computer gamers.

Kathryn Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation noted: “We are delighted to support projects that push the boundaries of history, culture, and the digital world.   The New Amsterdam History Center’s integration of 3D models, original documents, Encyclopedia, and maps is an entirely new way to experience the past.”

“This project follows in the footsteps of our recent 3D Model created for the New-York Historical Society’s installation New York Before New York: The Castello Plan, on view March 15 – July 14, 2024″, explained Esme E. Berg, Executive Director.  “We are delighted to bring it to Long Island on May 16, 17 and 18, when members of NAHC’s research team will be in Southampton, Port Washington and Shelter Island to offer lively, richly illustrated presentations including interactive maps and 3-D models.”

Presenters

Toya Dubin, Mapping Early NY Project Director

Drew Shuptar-Rayvis, Algonkian Historical Consultant

Shelter Island Historical Society: Thursday, May 16, 1:00 – 2:30PM
Port Washington Public Library: Friday May 17, 7:00 – 8:30PM
Southampton History Museum: Saturday May 18, 11:00AM – 12:30PM

Admission is free of charge; space is limited. Reservations are required.

Major Funding for this project provided by:

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, the First Families of New York, Ken Chase, and the supporters of the New Amsterdam History Center.