Peary Collection

Peary and Cook dispute over the North Pole
Robert Peary and Frederick Cook dispute over who reached the North Pole first -- but the real question is whether either of them got there at all

The steam-ship Roosevelt departing for the Arctic, 1908
Photograph of the steam-ship Roosevelt departing for the Arctic at the beginning of Robert E. Pearys 1908-1909 North Pole Expedition

Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), c.1909
LSE4403049 Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), c.1909; Private Collection; (add.info.: Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920).); Photo © Leonard de Selva.

Robert Edwin Peary, 1909 (cartoon)
530667 Robert Edwin Peary, 1909 (cartoon); (add.info.: Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920) American naval officer and explorer

Robert Edwin Peary, Sr., 1856 - 1920. American explorer. From The Wonderful Year 1909
693730 Robert Edwin Peary, Sr., 1856 - 1920. American explorer. From The Wonderful Year 1909.

Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856 - 1920) American Arctic explorer. Engraving of the 19th century
NWI4903625 Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856 - 1920) American Arctic explorer. Engraving of the 19th century.; (add.info.: Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856 - 1920) American Arctic explorer

The SS Roosevelt in the Arctic Regions during the Peary Expedition to the North Pole, 1908 - 1909
2967858 The SS Roosevelt in the Arctic Regions during the Peary Expedition to the North Pole, 1908 - 1909. Robert Edwin Peary, Sr.,1856 - 1920. American explorer

Satirical drawing about the conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (engraving)
530606 Satirical drawing about the conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (engraving); (add.info.: Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), American naval commander and explorer

British crew members of Robert Peary's expedition to the North Pole in 1909

British crew of expedition in 1909 to North Pole led by Robert Peary

Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph)
530671 Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph) by French School, (20th century); (add.info.: The conquest of the North Pole: Dr)

Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph)
LSE4104748 Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The conquest of the North Pole: Dr)

Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph)
XEE4412385 Conquest of the North Pole, 1909 (lithograph) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The conquest of the North Pole: Dr)

North Pole: Cook and Robert Edwin Peary - Jugend, 1909
LSE4403146 North Pole: Cook and Robert Edwin Peary - Jugend, 1909. by German School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: North Pole: Cook and Robert Edwin Peary - Jugend)

Peary in the Arctic Regions (litho)
3622798 Peary in the Arctic Regions (litho) by Steeple Davis, J. (1844-1917) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Peary in the Arctic Regions)

North Pole: men and animals that allowed Peary to reach the North Pole: sledding dogs
LSE4402298 North Pole: men and animals that allowed Peary to reach the North Pole: sledding dogs, caribou... - in " London News illustrated", 1910

Commander Robert Edwin Peary who made an expedition to the North Pole - photograph in
LSE4402231 Commander Robert Edwin Peary who made an expedition to the North Pole - photograph in " The illustrated London News" of 11/09/1909

Mr. Cook and Mr. Robert Edwin Peary in the conquest of the pole - Jugend, 1909
LSE4403136 Mr. Cook and Mr. Robert Edwin Peary in the conquest of the pole - Jugend, 1909. by German School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mr. Cook and Mr)

Commander Peary - Conquest of the Pole, 1909, (1933). Creator: Unknown
Commander Peary - Conquest of the Pole, 1909, (1933). Portrait of Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), American naval officer and explorer who claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on 6 April

Captain Bartlett and his Party, 1910. Born in Newfoundland, Robert Bartlett was a noted ice navigator and Arctic explorer of the late 19th and early 20th century

Peary in Arctic Outfit, 1910, (1928). Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), American explorer who claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on his expedition on April 6, 1909

Wax models of Peary and Cook, polar explorers, at Madame Tussauds, London, 1909
Wax models of Peary and Cook, polar explorers, at Madame Tussaud s, London, 1909. American explorer Robert E Peary claimed he had reached the North Pole in 1909 at his third attempt

Dispute over who was the first to reach the North Pole, 1909. American naval officer and explorer Robert E Peary (1856-1920)

Robert Edwin Peary, American naval officer and explorer, 1909. Peary (1856-1920) is generally credited with being the leader of the first successful expidition to the North Pole (1909)

Map showing Dr. Frederick Cooks route to the North Pole, 19
Map showing the route taken by Dr. Frederick A. Cook and his Inuit companions, Ah-welsh and Etukishook, to the North Pole, in 1907 - 1908. The chart has been signed by the doctor, at top left

Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. 1856 A

EXPL2A-00308
Arctic explorer Robert Peary meeting the Relief Expedition on the Greenland Ice-cap, August 5, 1892. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Robert Edwin Peary - American Polar Explorer
Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920) - American Polar Explorer who claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on April 6th, 1909

Polar bears celebrate Peary reaching the North Pole
Dancing Polar Bears raise glasses of champagne and toast Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. (18561920), the American explorer who claimed to have led the first expedition, on April 6th 1909

PEARY 1898
ROBERT EDWIN PEARY American explorer in the Arctic whose claims are still in question. Date: 1856 - 1920

Peary Photo
ROBERT EDWIN PEARY American explorer in the Arctic whose claims are still in question. Date: 1856 - 1920

JOSEPHINE DIEBITSCH PEARY. (1863-1955). American Arctic explorer and author, wife of Robert E. Peary. Photograph, c1940

ROBERT PEARY (1856-1920). American arctic explorer. Peary distributing gifts to Eskimos in Greenland, late 19th or early 20th century

Illustration of the peaks surrounding the Peary crater on Earths moon
The peaks surrounding the Peary crater near the North Pole of Earths moon have been called the Mountains of Eternal Light because the sun never sets on them

AHNIGHITO METEORITE, 1897. The Ahnighito meteorite being transported during Robert Pearys Expedition in Greenland. Photograph, 1897

CAMERA ADVERTISEMENT, 1893. The Kodak camera manufactured by Eastman. Newspaper advertisement, 1893

MINIK WALLACE (c1890-1918). Inuk boy, brought to New York from Greenland by Robert Peary. Photograph, 1910

PEARY TELEGRAM, 1909. Telegram sent on 10 September 1909 by Robert Peary to Secretary of State Philander C. Knox, announcing Pearys arrival at the North Pole on 6 April, 1909

MARIE AHNIGHITO PEARY (1893-1978). Daughter of Arctic explorer Robert Peary. Photograph, c1895

PEARY BANQUET, 1910. A banquet in honor of Arctic explorer Robert E. Peary at the Hotel Astor in New York City. Photograph, 5 March 1910

JOSEPHINE DIEBITSCH PEARY. (1863-1955). American Arctic explorer and author, wife of Robert E. Peary. Photograph, c1913

ROBERT E. PEARY JR. (1903-1994). Son of American Arctic explorer Robert E. Peary. Photographed in Sydney, Australia, 1909

PEARYs EXPEDITION, c1908. An iceberg at Cape Sheridan, Canada, photographed by George Wardwell during Robert Pearys Arctic expedition, c1908

PEARYs EXPEDITION, 1908. The ship Roosevelt in winter quarters in Canada, at the time crew member Donald Macmillan and his party turned back to Fort Conger, Canada

ARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1909. Headquarters in North Greenland of Commander Robert Peary s
ARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1909. Headquarters in North Greenland of Commander Robert Pearys expedition to the North Pole, September 1909

PEARYs ROOSEVELT, 1905. Launch of Robert Pearys ship, Roosevelt, 23 March 1905

PEARYs EXPEDITION, 1908. The ship Roosevelt at Cape Sheridan, Canada, on the Arctic Ocean. Photograph by George Wardwell, 1908

PEARYs EXPEDITION, 1908. Eskimo women hauling water to Robert Pearys ship Roosevelt at Cape Sheridan, Canada, during an Arctic expedition. Photograph by George Wardwell, 1908

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"Peary and Cook: The Epic Dispute over the North Pole" In 1908, amidst a fervor of exploration, the steam-ship Roosevelt embarked on an audacious journey to conquer the Arctic. Led by Commander Robert Edwin Peary, this expedition aimed to reach the elusive North Pole. On board were brave British crew members who shared Peary's unwavering determination. The following year, another British crew joined forces with Peary in his quest for polar glory. Together, they ventured into uncharted territory, facing treacherous conditions and battling against nature's icy grip. Their efforts were immortalized in lithographs depicting their triumphant conquest of the North Pole. However, controversy soon engulfed their achievement as Dr. Frederick A. Cook claimed he had reached the pole before Peary. This dispute ignited a heated debate that captivated nations around the world. Amidst this turmoil, images emerged showcasing Peary's resilience in the Arctic regions - a testament to his indomitable spirit and unwavering resolve. Sledding dogs played an integral role in his success; these loyal companions braved freezing temperatures and harsh landscapes alongside their human counterparts. Commander Robert Edwin Peary became synonymous with polar exploration - a figure whose name would forever be etched in history books. His photograph captured him as a symbol of courage and ambition that pushed humanity beyond its limits. Yet it was impossible to overlook Dr. Cook's claims which added intrigue to this tale of rivalry at Earth's extremities – two men vying for immortality through their daring feats. Ultimately, whether it was Peary or Cook who first set foot on that hallowed ground remains shrouded in uncertainty even today – leaving us with an enduring mystery surrounding one of mankind's greatest adventures.