Recent additions to the website:
The Lago Colony Legend is a wonderful book put together by the Lopez family and it is understood that printed copies are no longer available. Therefore a .pdf copy has been added to the website – see the main menu at the top of the home page. We did not know who to ask for permission to add it to the website so we hope we have not stepped on any toes. Since the book contains a lot of personal information, you will need to enter a password to read it. It’s the same as the password used to read the Aruba Chronicle issues.
Click here to read a document from Dufi Kock, which describes new improvements and construction at the Baby Beach, Rogers Beach, Esso Club and San Nicolas areas. It’s a Word document that will DOWNLOAD when you click on the blue link.
Here is a photo of the refinery as it now exists:
Click the arrowhead above to hear an interview with Julio Croze, who joined Lago in the 1940’s and spent 30 years in the Instrument Division. The interview was recorded in 2015 when Julio was over 100 years old, by Babs Amman and George Jansen.
Here’s a new link to many photos taken in the early 1940’s at the refinery, schools and other locations. The first half of the photos are of the refinery, but later there are many showing island life as it was back then. It’s worth scrolling through the many photos.
An article about the extensive hotel developments planned for the near future in Aruba.
The one concerning Baby Beach is of particular interest.
Here is an interesting website about the history of the Netherlands Antilles during WWII. It is roughly translated from Dutch and some of the details are a little askew but makes interesting reading.
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Two very interesting books about Lago’s Lake Tanker Fleet have been added to this website, as .pdf files. The first, “The Propeller,” was compiled by Dan Jensen, from materials supplied to him by Dufi Kock. It is the story of the retrieval of the SS Oranjestad’s two propellers. Oranjestad lies in 225 feet of water after being torpedoed by U-156 and suffering the loss of about half her crew. This propeller has been installed as a monument to those lost during WWII. In addition to the story of the retrieval of the propeller, it provides extensive information about the ship and the Lago refinery. It’s definitely a worthwhile read! Click here to read it.
The second book, “E Storia di e Barco S/S Valera” is written by Dufi Kock and provides a history of this vessel and much other information about the lake tanker fleet, sometimes called “The Mosquito Fleet.” It is written in Papiamento so you will need your language skills to read it, but it is very interesting. Click here to read this excellent book.
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The Aruba Chronicle Library
family history; updates; stories
See the photos of the Lone Palm Stadium’s evolution
over time, supplied by Jim Riggs
Visit the Aruba Facebook page!
Photo provided by Terre Schroth