Image Credits
Abraham Brueghel, Still life of fruit with a man c 1665-1675, wikimedia commons
Description
Watermelons were first domesticated in North Africa over 4,000 years ago. Over time, selective breeding lead to sweeter varieties, which became popular and eventually spread throughout Europe. Seeds brought by Dutch colonists to the Hudson Valley meant that they became part of the agricultural produce so prized by the European settlers.
Adriaen van der Donck noted that watermelon was “quite refreshing from its coolness”, and that it was often made into a drink to help keep cool in the heat of summer.