Seroe Colorado () is a village situated at the southeastern tip of Aruba, an island located in the Ductch Caribbean. Nowadays, it is known for the Anchor in Memory to All Seamen. Historically, between 1878 and 1914, Seroe Colorado served as the location for the Colorado Guano Mine, which was involved in the extraction of

guano Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of Seabird, seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant ...

. Additionally, the

Seroe Colorado Lighthouse The Seroe Colorado Lighthouse, known also by the Colorado Point Lighthouse, is located in Seroe Colorado. It stands as one of two currently active lighthouses on the island. Geography Seroe Colorado is the farthest southeastern point of the isl ...

can be found in this village, serving as a prominent landmark.

History

In 1873 or 1874, Henri Waters Gravenhorst discovered

on Seroe Colorado, which led to subsequent developments in the area. In 1879, Aruba Island Gold Mining Company, along with Ch. B. Sewell from London, established the Aruba Phosphaat maatschappij to initiate mining operations in the region. Initially, open

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...

mines were utilized, but later on, shaft mines were also employed. To facilitate transportation, a pier was constructed in the harbour of

San Nicolaas San Nicolaas ( nl, Sint Nicolaas) is southeast of Oranjestad, and is Aruba's second largest city. it has a population of 15,283, most of whom originate from the British Caribbean and rest of the Caribbean. History According to oral tradition ...

, and a

narrow-gauge railway A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structur ...

line spanning six kilometres was built to connect Seroe Colorado with San Nicolaas. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Colorado Point was fortified with guns to safeguard the nearby oil refinery located at

Lago Colony Lago Colony was a community located on the east end of the island of Aruba, near the area presently known as Seroe Colorado. The town consisted of 377 homes, a hospital, church, club house, bowling alley, and an American School, with first th ...

. However, in the 21st century, the village and its surrounding area have gradually become deserted and peaceful, lacking the activity and bustle it once possessed.

Education

In September 1929, a significant milestone was achieved in Seroe Colorado with the

International School of Aruba The International School of Aruba (ISA) is a non-profit private school in Aruba. In 2006, it moved to a new campus with a more centralized location. It was founded in 1929 and was owned by Lago Oil and Transport Co. Ltd. From 1986 on, the sc ...

, marking the first English school in Aruba. Lago Oil and Transport Co. Ltd. owned and operated the school, primarily catering to the educational needs of expatriates' children residing on the island. However, during the 1960s, the school expanded its services and began admitting the dependents of local residents, charging tuition fees for enrollment. Following the closure of Lago in 1985, a group of parents whose children were still attending the school came together to form the International School of Aruba (ISA). This non-profit foundation was established with the aim of ensuring the continuation of English language education on the island. The ISA took on the responsibility of providing high-quality education to students, preserving the legacy of the original English school in Seroe Colorado, and meeting the educational needs of the diverse community on the island of Aruba.

Anchor in Memory to All Seamen

On March 31, 1985, wich coincided with the closure of the Lago Oil Refinery, a significant event took place in Seroe Colorado. An anchor, painted red and standing nearly tall, was installed on the beach. Originating from Germany in the 1960s, the anchor had been lost at sea before finding its final resting place in Seroe Colorado. It holds a poignant dedication to all the seaman who tragically lost their lives at sea, serving as a symbolic tribute to their memory.

References

{{authority control Populated places in Aruba San Nicolaas