Hooiberg

Aruba was likely first sighted by Dutchman Pieter Schouten on April 24, 1624 during an expedition by the West India Company. The expedition sailed past several islands, including Aruba but did not go ashore. Schouten noted that Aruba had a mountain. Hooiberg, which he signalized, will always remain a landmark for all seafarers.[10]

In the early morning hours of October the 13th, 1990, a tragedy struck at Hooiberg. The night before, Aruba experienced extreme weather bringing with it heavy rain, thunder, lightning and flooding. Mr. and Mrs. Frank were in their bedroom when the dog barked as a wave of thunder and lightning hit. This moment prompted Mr. Frank to walk out of the bedroom. At around 3 AM, neighbors heard a loud rumbling noise. They called the local emergency call center, and within minutes, first responders arrived to find a harrowing scene. Mr Frank is covered in mud desperately searching for his wife, who is still inside the half-crushed house. The hazardous environment and extreme weather made it impossible for anyone to search for her. Most bystanders only bore witness to the scene, fearing they might step on her body. It took excavators and tools to finally reach her, whose body was found at 8 AM buried under a pile of mud and a 1.5-meter-wide (~5ft.) boulder. The Frank family had just put their house on the market and had purchased a new home, planning to move soon. The house at Hooiberg 83 was demolished and the plot has been left empty to this day.[11][12][13][14][15]

In the last century, the Hooiberg was a popular starting point for surveying, and the ancient Indians also used the conical hill as an orientation point and watchtower to spy out the sea, as evidenced by the small remains found there. In modern times, the hill has been utilized for different purposes, such as hosting radio and television masts and a navigation light. To facilitate the maintenance of these instruments, a remarkable piece of architecture was built in 1951—a concrete staircase comprising 900 steps. Despite the innovative idea, few advocated for its construction. However, architect Eduardo Tromp took the risk and built the high staircase within three months without a blueprint. The result is a remarkable feat of architecture that has become a popular tourist attraction on the island of Aruba.[1]

The aloe industry is recognized as Aruba’s most important industry due to the history of resource exploitation that had a substantial impact on the landscape.[16] Since the arrival of Spanish colonization, the landscape in Aruba underwent fundamental changes from deforestation and the introduction of free-roaming herds grazing the landscape.[19]

Aloe vera was introduced to Aruba in 1840 and became a major  producer and exporter of the plant, known for its high quality due to high levels of aloin. Aloe cultivation was predominantly located in southwest coastal areas, particularly on limestone terraces. The deforestation of dyewood (Haematoxylum brasiletto) a century earlier may have contributed to the liming (calcium-rich soil), provided the ideal conditions for aloe to thrive.[20] By 1911, agricultural activities covered nearly the entire central part of Aruba, particularly on the quartz-diorite landscape.[21] In 1912, Aruba exported 375.000 kilograms (826.733 pounds) of aloe vera, compared to 920 kilograms (2,030 pounds) from Curaçao and 31.000 kilograms (68.343 pounds) from Bonaire.[22]

West. Aruba. Aloe field with Hooiberg on the horizon.

Aruba. Harvesting and leaking aloe.

In the 18th century, peanuts imported from Curaçao by the Dutch West India Company were brought to Aruba, where they grew into an important industry. The difference in soil made Aruba for a long time the “peanut island”. Peanut-growing became a favored means of livelihood in areas such as Hooiberg, including Noord and near Seroe Cristal.[23]