Mystic — Gov. Ned Lamont has issued a proclamation that Wednesday is Nathaniel Palmer Day across the state.

Palmer, a 21-year-old Stonington native, was among the first people, and the first American, to spot Antarctica while on a sealing trip 200 years ago this week.

On Monday, state Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, visited the Capt. Nathaniel Palmer House, now a museum operated by the Stonington Historical Society, to deliver the proclamation. She was joined by Aimee Newell, executive director of the Historical Society, and Dan McFadden, director of communications for Mystic Seaport Museum. Both the museum and the historical society have events scheduled this week in celebration of Palmer, who later went on to design clipper ships during the 1840s and '50s.

On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the historical society will wrap up a three-part virtual lecture series commemorating the life of Palmer and the icy land at the southern pole. The final lecture features Glenn Gordinier, who will discuss the details of Palmer’s voyage as well as the other competing claims to sighting the continent. More information is available at bit.ly/shspalmer2020.

Mystic Seaport is hosting several virtual lectures on Friday. Information on those can be found at bit.ly/msmantarctica2020.