Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920), American polar explorer on the deck of his Arctic vessel 'Roosevelt'. It is generally accepted that Peary was the first man to reach the North Pole, doing so in April 1909. Peary was a US naval commander who became interested in Arctic exploration after a trip to Greenland in 1886. His claim to be the first to reach the North Pole has always been disputed, but is still usually accepted.