Did You Know

  • In 1824, twelve year-old Willem Rasmijn found the first gold pieces at Rooi Fluit.
  • 1908 was the first time soccer was played in Aruba.
  • Fort Zoutman and Willem III tower are more than 200 years old.
  • Aruba had its first touch of asphalt in 1929 - the first street to be asphalted was Nassaustraat (now known as Caya G.F. Croes).
  • The first Hotel in Aruba opened its doors in 1934 - it was called the 'Hotel Caribe'.
  • The Chapel of Alto Vista was built in 1750.
  • Aruba has eight churches.
  • The first time a cruise-ship docked in Aruba was in 1957.
  • The first person to wear shoes in Aruba was a prominent businessman named Adriaan LaclĂ©.
  • The first radio station in Aruba went on the air on March 20th 1954: it was called Radio Kelkboom.
  • On the 10th of May, 1941, the 'Antilla' was sunk in the vicinity of Malmok. It is now a popular diving site.
  • The first airport in Aruba was called Dakota (after a former government aloe plantation). It was inaugurated on January 19,1935.
  • Princess (later Queen) Beatrix Airport was completed in 1972 - it was paid for in a large part by what is now the European Community (then EEC).

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