Aruba is known for its dry climate; there are no rivers and hardly any wells. But on the North Coast there is an oasis with a natural spring: Fontein. 

In the 18th and 19th centuries the plantation was owned by the government and the commanders had the usufruct. They left the management to a supervisor in exchange for some vegetables and fruit.

Commander/Ltd. Governor Johan Gravenhorst, who had made a study trip to Venezuela, received the use of the Fontein plantation as compensation for expenses he had made.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Fontein came into the possession of landowner Adriaan Laclé. He knew the plantation, from which he bought fruit and vegetables, and the owner, Chancha Oduber.  She died in 1914, after which Adriaan Laclé became the owner of Fontein because Chancha owed him a large sum of money.

Life at Fontein could be lonely, but parties were also given there (with ‘caha di orgel’ music and violin) where the elite of Oranjestad came, dignitaries such as the tax receiver and the commanders, later ltd. governors, even the Governor from Curaçao. Also engineers and directors of the gold company, later of the oil refinery.

Adriaan Laclé rented the plantation to a Chinese to turn it into a vegetable nursery. Chong Hong, who leased the land, is considered the founder of the vegetable nursery. The last Chinese planter, Wau Ging Wong, worked there from 1944 until his death in 1993. This put an end to the activities at Fontein.

Several Chinese families lived in the house and other buildings on the land; they grew lettuce and other vegetables that were sold to supermarkets and hotels.

Nothing is left of the original 19th century adobe house; the current building was built around 1935 with concrete blocks. It used to be one of the country houses of the Laclé family, but now it is completely dilapidated. 

The basin is still there – with the doctor fishes nibbling away at the skin of your feet. 

Plants and grape trees still grow there. Fontein falls within the boundaries of Parke Nacional Arikok. Some years ago the Park foundation acquired the former plantation and is restoring the plantation house into a visitors’ center illustrating the history of the plantation.