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LOCAL Monday 15 July 2024
A brief history of the California Light House

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

The lighthouse has a long and very Thanks to the Monument Fund
interesting history. The reason why Aruba, which worked hard and
the lighthouse was built, according is currently in charge of the Light-
to Mr. Fingal, dates back to the day house, Mr. Fingal is very happy
when the cargo ship S.S. California with its preservation, along with all
sank because of the lack of light. the renovations that have taken
In 1913, Aruba made a request place. He hopes that the story of
to Curacao to build a Lighthouse the lighthouse will continue to live
at Westpunt, and the governor of on for future generations.
Curacao responded to Aruba to