Whose lake was the first of the Great Lakes to be explored by Europeans?

French explorer and interpreter Étienne Brûlé traveled widely through the Great Lakes region in the early 17th century. He is commonly associated with the first European exploration of Lake Huron and surrounding waterways, working with Indigenous guides and networks. Brûlé’s journeys helped later French explorers and traders understand the geography of the interior of North America. The Great Lakes were then mapped in greater detail over the following decades by French expeditions.