User:Hbogart/Greta Wagle

Greta Wagle

Greta Wagle is a Belgian born teacher and historian who is the project director in the building of The Onrust, a replica of the first fur trading vessel built in America in 1614 somewhere in New York Bay by Dutch Captain Adriaen Block and his crew. The Onrust Project was created by Greta Wagle and historian Don Rittner in 2005. They began building the replica of the ship on the grounds of the historic Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction, NY in 2006.

Greta Wagle among many of her duties as project director also supervised the volunteers and spent much of her time looking for select white oak used in the construction of the ship. The Onrust was constructed using recently rediscovered 17th century Dutch ship building techniques over a three year period from 2006 to 2009 and was launched on May 20, 2009.

When completed the Onrust will serve as a floating museum and classroom to teach 17th century Dutch history and the role that the Dutch played in the founding principles of American democracy. The Onrust replica participated in the 2009 NYS Quadricentennial Celebration, the Dutch Harbor Day Celebration and the Poughkeepsie Walkway opening, all in 2009. In recent times, the ship been used as a fund raiser for non profit causes and educational programs during public celebrations like the annual Tugboat Roundup, Steamboat Festival, and Canal Fest in Waterford, NY, and has taken part in many celebrations along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. It is currently docked at the Waterford Visitors Center where Greta Wagle and volunteers continue to work on getting the interior completed.

The Onrust Web site is at www.thonrust.com

Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/groups/133336314301/