History Lecture
St. Eustatius & The First Salute
Presented by archaeologists Dr. Ruud Stelten & Alex Hinton
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Orringer Auditorium - 2:00 p.m. - FREE

Through archaeological discoveries and newly uncovered archival evidence, Stelten and Hinton will explore the crucial role the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius played during the American Revolution. Often called the “Golden Rock,” this tiny Dutch island served as a major hub for international trade, supplying desperately needed gunpowder, arms, and other goods to the American colonies. The presentation will examine how St. Eustatius connected to North Carolina ports, including New Bern, and how maritime archaeology is helping researchers reconstruct these forgotten connections. The lecture will also share the story of the famous “First Salute” of November 16, 1776, when the Dutch governor of St. Eustatius returned a cannon salute to the American brig Andrew Doria, an act widely regarded as the first formal foreign recognition of the United States.

This project is supported by Dutch Culture USA, a program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United States, to mark America 250.