Page 13 - AHATA

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local Wednesday 23 OctOber 2024
A brief history of the California Light House

(Oranjestad)—At the furthest west- was full of goats and donkeys, and tated with a kerosene lamp that
ern point of the island, there lies the it was very isolated. There were no planes used; clean kerosene," Mr.
tallest structure on the island: The hotels or roads to get there. There Fingal said.
California Light House. Standing on was only a donkey trail. Those were
top of a limestone cliff, this light- the only means of transportation." Mr. Fingal discovered something
house oversees the entire island, very interesting about the light-
offering one of few best views of Mr. Fingal continues, "In 1939, I was house after much research was
the island and the surrounding sea. born in the lighthouse, and my fa- documented in his book 'History
It is also one of the few monuments ther was the last lighthouse keeper of the Lighthouse at Westpunt.'
that hold a rich history. until he retired in 1962. After that, He found many details: "I found
they removed the power cables out that the height of the light-
The lighthouse was constructed all the way to the top. According house was due to the absence
in between 1914-1916, and its to the story, we couldn't have the of electricity. There was also the
first keeper was a young trained light ourselves because they dis- presence of coral. There is a long
lighthouse keeper from Curacao mantled it, and after many years, steel cable from where the light is,
names Jacob Jacobs. Mr. Frederi- I heard that it is in a train museum and under the light, at the highest
co Fingal was the last man to have in San Nicolas, where we found this point, there is a hanging weight, a
occupied this position until 1962. very special lens that, when the sort of pendulum that swings like gallon of kerosene for the whole
Though his son, Mr. Romulo Fingal light shines through it, it reaches 30 that, with a weight that measures operation. "At that time, the kero-
did not continue in his father’s foot- kilometers out to sea." Mr. Fingal about 1 meter by 30 centimeters sene was supplied from the Lago
steps, he does have a special con- told our reporter. wide, which is a block of solid iron refinery. Every day it was brought
nection to the lighthouse. He sat attached to a cable. When you down, and to start the light again,
down with our reporter and shared The lighthouse has a long and very release it upwards, it comes down, they had to lift the weight up, so
a bit of its history. interesting history. The reason why and the weight that comes down our job as children was to crank
the lighthouse was built, according pulls it up, gradually. And while it it and raise the weight back up in
As Mr. Fingal explains, "In 1915, to Mr. Fingal, dates back to the day comes down, the same weight the evening when the light stuck,
cargo donkeys were hired from when the cargo ship S.S. California that is descending causes many they would take it down again,
Figaroa di Noord to help build the sank because of the lack of light. small wheels to turn in the opposite and the light stayed down. That's
Lighthouse at Westpunt. The don- In 1913, Aruba made a request direction. The Lighthouse rotates how it worked for a very long time,"
keys had to walk along the beach to Curacao to build a Lighthouse from 6 pm in the evening, when Mr. Fingal explains.
all the way to Westpunt carrying at Westpunt, and the governor of the sun sets, until 6 am in the morn-
the cargo, poles, cement, and all Curacao responded to Aruba to ing. During the entire night, the light Thanks to the Monument Fund
these things. At that time, it was come back in 1915 with a well-de- shines on the lantern, it goes down Aruba, which worked hard and
a difficult task until Aruba got its tailed plan. "During the First World 24 meters, and the Lighthouse is 30 is currently in charge of the Light-
first truck. These things reflect how War from 1914 to 1918, they had to meters high. It is designed not to house, Mr. Fingal is very happy
people could have accomplished wait for the light to be transported collapse," Mr. Fingal explains. with its preservation, along with all
this tremendous job with so little." to Aruba because it was manufac- the renovations that have taken
Mr. Fingal said, "At that time, it tured in France. At that time, there Mr. Fingal further explains that in place. He hopes that the story of
wasn't a place for people to work. was no electricity, and the light one night, the lighthouse rotates the lighthouse will continue to live
It was very challenging because it was very interesting because it ro- 4,320 times and consumes one on for future generations.q