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                                                                                                           LOCAL Thursday 16 January 2025






























            Place names in San Nicolas and their origins


            (Oranjestad)--If you’re ever  famous Red Anchor at what                                fore also called Vader Piet  district was named after the
            taking a tour of Aruba, San  was once the entrance to             Vader Piet           (Father  Piet).  However,  he  saint by Spanish colonizers,
            Nicolas would definitely be  the Colony residential com-  Another  well  visited  area,  was  tragically  murdered—  the other account is much
            on  your  itinerary.  From  re-  munity and be greeted with  Vader Piet is located in the  some speculate at the hands  less divine, but does refer to
            laxing on the white, sandy  red soiled hills by the coast.  Arikok National Park. Recog-  of a slave. For his work and  an  influential  figure  in  the
            beaches of Baby and Roger’s  This is Sero Colorado. Named  nizable sites within this area  good  heart,  the  area  was  area.
            Beach, to exploring the pre-  after the 30-meter, deep red,  includes the Wind Mills and  named after him.          Nicolaas van der Biest was a
            historic caves of Quadirikiri  limestone hill, “Sero Colora-  the Quadirikiri Cave. The ori-                        successful landowner during
            and Fontein, you are taking  do”  translates  to  “Colored  gin of this name is part histori-  San Nicolas          the time of the phosphate
            in  a  full  view  of  what  San  Hill”. Sero Colorado has deep  cal and speculation, as there  Of  course  we  can’t  forget  boom  in  late  19th  century
            Nicolas has to offer. But did  historical ties with the once-  are  slight  deviations  from  San Nicolas itself. Much like  Aruba. Back then, landown-
            you know that you are also  thriving phosphate industry  what actually happened.       Vader Piet, the origin of the  ers (most, if not all of them
            passing through areas whose  in the area. Matter of fact,                              name San Nicolas has so far  men)  were  referred  to  as
            names  have  historical  ori-  there  are  still  underground  In 1829, Pieter Lampe was a  two  different  accounts.  In  “Shon” by their subordinates.
            gins? Here are a few place  shafts  and  passages  deep  planter and the person re-    the literal sense, “San Nico-  So, the district was originally
            names  in  San  Nicolas  and  in  Sero  Colorado  from  the  sponsible for governing this  las” translates to “Saint Nico-  named after Shon Nicolaas.
            their origin story.          time of phosphate mining. In  remote  area.  As  the  story  las”, leading many to believe  Over time, the name evolved
                                         1958, the refinery at the time,  goes, Pieter was well known  that this district was named  into what is now San Nicolas.
                   Sero Colorado         Lago, adopted this name for  and beloved for his kindness  after a Spanish saint. Though
            On your way to Baby or Rog-  the residential section of its  and good treatment of his  one account does support    Source: “Aruba: Short History”
            er’s Beach, you’ll pass by the  employees.                employees, and was there-    this with the theory that the      by Dr. J. Hartog.

            Create museum memories


            ORANJESTAD — Museums are an in-     be restored and preserved as one  for its collection and activities. After  pleted in November 2007 and the
            tegral part of conserving and honor-  of Aruba's monuments. The Museum  studying various options, a project  permanent exhibit, financed by the
            ing cultures, and Aruba is no excep-  of Industry is part of Aruba Museum  proposal was drawn up, including  Aruban Government and the Union
            tion. Our Island has a wide selection  Foundation (Fundacion Museo Aru-  the  acquisition  and  restoration  of  of Cultural Organizations (UNOCA),
            of  various  museums  for  our  locals  ban), which is a foundation set to  historical  buildings  in  downtown  opened in July 2009.
            and visitors to see. Take this oppor-  maintain, preserve, and protect the  Oranjestad.
            tunity to learn about our island and  Aruban cultural sector, history, and                                  At the new location, the National
            experience a different day beyond  nature.  The  museum  of  Industry  is  These historical buildings were for-  Archaeological Museum Aruba dis-
            the beach. Let us introduce to you  open daily from 9 am till 6 pm.     merly the property of the Ecury fam-  poses of approximately 500 m2 for
            these museums.                      For more information, check out their  ily. The “Ecury Complex”, is a cluster  its  permanent  exhibit.  This  exhibit
                                                Facebook page Museum of Industry  of single and two-story historic build-  conveys  information  on  the  origin
                 Museum of Industry Aruba       Aruba.                              ings,  mainly  Dutch  colonial  archi-  and culture of the first inhabitants
            The Museum of Industry is located in                                    tecture from the late 19th and 20th  of the island through archaeologi-
            San Nicolas—better known as the art   Archaeological Museum of Aruba    century on a plot of approximately  cal objects and modern exhibition
            capital of Aruba. This museum exhib-  The  Archaeological  Museum  of  1.700 m2.                            techniques.  The  new  permanent
            its the industrial history of gold, aloe,  Aruba is located at Schelpstraat 42                              exhibit  gives  the  visitor  an  insight
            phosphate, oil and tourism through  in downtown Oranjestad. The reno-   In  1997,  the  Aruban  Government  into the cultures that inhabited the
            elaborated displays and multimedia  vated historic Ecury complex in the  bought the complex for the National  island in Pre-Historical and Early His-
            installations.                      area has been transformed from a  Archaeological  Museum  project.  torical times. The museum also hosts
            The Museum of Industry is situated in  family home to a modern museum  In 2004, a financial agreement was  attractive public programs, includ-
            the Water Tower in San Nicolas and  that preserves Aruba’s Amerindian  signed with the European Develop-    ing lectures, educational projects,
            narrates  Aruba's  industrial  history,  cultural heritage. This 21st century  ment Fund and in 2006, restoration  temporary exhibits and workshops.
            which  began  in  the  19th  century.  museum  is  especially  designed  to  and construction work began on the
            The Water Tower was built in 1939  preserve  valuable  artifacts  dating  monumental buildings and the soon-  The museum is open daily from 9:30
            and consists of three sections: the  back to the Pre-Ceramic period of  to-be exhibition space. In December  am till 4:30 pm. For more informa-
            substructure, the high-rising vertical  2500 BC.                        2007, the key to the complex was  tion check out the Facebook page
            shaft, and the tank at the top. The                                     delivered and the museum’s employ-  Museo  Arqueologico  Nacional
            Water Tower was purchased by the  In  the  late  1980’s,  AMA  identified  ees moved to the new location. The  Aruba.q
            Monuments Fund in 2003 so it can  its need for an adequate housing  final design for the exhibit was com-
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