When people talk about the discovery of America, they usually mention Christopher Columbus. But nearly five hundred years before Columbus sailed in 1492, a Norse explorer named Leif Erikson had already reached North American shores. Around the year 1000, Erikson sailed west from Greenland. He landed on a coast with wild grapes and tall trees. He named the place Vinland. Archaeologists found proof of a Norse settlement at a site called L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada. The remains of turf buildings, iron nails, and other artifacts confirmed that Vikings had lived there. This discovery proved that Europeans had reached North America long before Columbus. Erikson came from a family of adventurers. His father, Erik the Red, had founded the Norse settlement in Greenland. The Vikings were skilled sailors who built longships capable of crossing the open ocean. On October 9 each year, the United States celebrates Leif Erikson Day. Congress created the holiday in 1964. It honors the Norse explorer and the Scandinavian immigrants who helped build America.