Page 15 - AHATA

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local Monday 8 SepteMber 2025
Place names in San Nicolas and their origins

(Oranjestad)–If you’re ever tion, as there are slight de- to “Saint Nicolas”, leading
taking a tour of Aruba, San viations from what actually many to believe that this
Nicolas would definitely happened. district was named after a
be on your itinerary. From Spanish saint. Though one
relaxing on the white, san- In 1829, Pieter Lampe was a account does support this
dy beaches of Baby and planter and the person re- with the theory that the dis-
Roger’s Beach, to explor- sponsible for governing this trict was named after the
ing the prehistoric caves remote area. As the story saint by Spanish colonizers,
of Quadirikiri and Fontein, goes, Pieter was well known the other account is much
you are taking in a full view and beloved for his kind- less divine, but does refer to
of what San Nicolas has ness and good treatment an influential figure in the
to offer. But did you know of his employees, and was area.
that you are also pass- therefore also called Vader Nicolaas van der Biest was
ing through areas whose Piet (Father Piet). Howev- a successful landowner
names have historical ori- er, he was tragically mur- during the time of the phos-
gins? Here are a few place Colorado. Named after the time, Lago, adopted this dered—some speculate at phate boom in late 19th
names in San Nicolas and 30-meter, deep red, lime- name for the residential the hands of a slave. For his century Aruba. Back then,
their origin story. stone hill, “Sero Colorado” section of its employees. work and good heart, the landowners (most, if not all
translates to “Colored Hill”. area was named after him. of them men) were referred
Sero Colorado Sero Colorado has deep Vader Piet to as “Shon” by their subor-
On your way to Baby or historical ties with the once- Another well visited area, San Nicolas dinates. So, the district was
Roger’s Beach, you’ll pass thriving phosphate industry Vader Piet is located in the Of course we can’t forget originally named after Shon
by the famous Red Anchor in the area. Matter of fact, Arikok National Park. Rec- San Nicolas itself. Much Nicolaas. Over time, the
at what was once the en- there are still underground ognizable sites within this like Vader Piet, the origin name evolved into what is
trance to the Colony resi- shafts and passages deep area includes the Wind Mills of the name San Nicolas now San Nicolas.
dential community and be in Sero Colorado from the and the Quadirikiri Cave. has so far two different ac-
greeted with red soiled hills time of phosphate mining. The origin of this name is counts. In the literal sense, Source: “Aruba: Short His-
by the coast. This is Sero In 1958, the refinery at the part historical and specula- “San Nicolas” translates tory” by Dr. J. Hartog.

Know more about the Town Hall Eloy Arends building

The Monuments bureau of Aruba, restored in 1997.
shares some essential facts Mr. Medardo ‘Dada’ Picus,
about the Town Hall known was the architect of this
as the Eloy Arends building. Aruban-Caribbean build-
The aim is to educate the ing. The building sits on a
community about the man- 1.545 m² plot of land and is
sion’s construction, history, a typical Aruban mansion.
and preservation. It is an open home with
false walls that allow the
The Doctor Eloy Arends connection of the rooms
building is located at the with each other.
Wilhelminastraat 8 and was
the home of the Arends The entrance has large
family. It was the first build- doors and columns sup-
ing that the Monuments bu- porting the floor of the up-
reau, and the Government per balcony. In between

the columns, there are dows which allow plenty of Due to the engagement
decoration details made light inside, as well as good between Eloy Arends and
out of wood. The elabo- ventilation. Monica Lacle (daughter of
rately detailed embellish- Adriaan Lacle, who is main-
ment is known as ginger- It has dormer windows and ly known for the boulevard
bread trim and the triangu- crowns on the outside part that bears his name), the
lar decorative wall surface of the roof and different construction of the man-
over the columns is called decorations on the edges sion began in 1922 and was
the tympanum. of the walls and facade. completed in 1925 when
the couple got married.
The top of the doors and This is a stunning building
windows have stained full of beautiful details that The Office of the Civil Reg-
glass. resemble its beauty and istry is located in the adja-
transform into a history of cent building, whereas the
The building is not built on love. Aruban tradition for mansion hall is used exclu-
ground level but at approx- “well-to-do” families dic- sively for civil wedding cer-
imately 1.5 meters above tates that before a man emonies.
ground level. This mansion gets married, he has to
elevation created storage present his future wife with The Monuments bureau
below the wooden floors a newly built and fully fur- will continue to contribute
and allowed proper venti- nished house. It was cer- and educate the commu-
lation. tainly the case with this nity about the history of our
building. monuments with significant
The building has lots of win- value for Aruba.