Kas Kòrá – Rais.cw

The former plantation is described in Sambumbu as "a region south-west of Jongbloed". The original name is Cas Koraal and means House with Coral, and so actually not "red house" as the name suggests. It was 85 hectares in size and one of the smallest plantations of the middle division.

Cornelis Sprock

Cornelis Janszoon Sprock, a Dutch businessman, arrived on Curaçao in 1844. He then bought the small plantation Vredenberg together with Jean Pierre Cornets de Groot van Kraaijenburg. In 1851 the plantation still bears this name, but it is nowadays known as Kas Kòrá and appears in transfer documents in various variants, such as Cas (di) Koraal, Kaas Koraal, Cas Curá and Cas Corá.

Around 1855 Sprock was, besides Kas Kòrá, also the owner of Brievengat and Jongbloed. He was financially strong and within a very short time managed to make these plantations productive, also thanks to his progressive attitude and implementation of modern farming methods.

For example, in 1862 he introduced American agricultural ploughs at Kas Kòrá and took part in experiments with cochineal cultivation. The cochineal is a species of scale insect that likes to grow on cacti and covers itself with a fluffy layer. Inside, however, it contains a red pigment, called cochineal or carmine red, a natural dye that was formerly very popular in the clothing industry.

At other locations, such as Cas Chikitu, Wacao and Barber, experiments with Peruvian cotton seed were not a success, but in 1909 Sprock laid out an entire field of cotton on the nearby Liverpool and thereby proved that with good irrigation cotton could indeed be grown on Curaçao.

Tropical little farm

Sprock, who until 1863 was also a district master, was further known for the use of herbs for the healing of animals. He later handed the plantation over to his son Cornelis Jr., who continued the agricultural business. And Kas Kòrá has — with some interruption — remained a tropical little farm up to the present day. Aloe was also grown on the plantation, and in 1942 prices rose so much that even prisoners were put to work in the neglected fields at Kas Kòrá and at Plantersrust, but in 1943 prices fell drastically again and production was ended.

To improve the livestock, a breeding business for the improvement of the breed on Curaçao also came to Kas Kòrá, but after evaluation it was discontinued in 1949, after which pedigree animals were imported from the Netherlands and the United States.

As at Santa Martha, Kas Kòrá also had a model vegetable garden, in which the farmers were in government service and did not have to depend on the yield of the plantation.

Milk supplier

Until around 1960 it was still known, among other things, as one of the most important milk suppliers on the island. Where milk was formerly pasteurised, old milk bottles now stand as decoration in the present Eatery of Hòfi Cas Corá Plantation: a large part of the former plantation is now operated as an organic farm and an eco-friendly restaurant.

The cows used to roam freely on the terrain and on the sports fields of the Radulphus College, and pupils had to watch out for cow dung when playing sports.

The business uses the farm-to-table concept, in which they grow vegetables and fruit themselves, irrigated with water from an enormous rain tank. Besides preparing exotic seasonal dishes, they also want to raise awareness on the island about organic farming and local production in one's own garden. There is also a coffee shop and sale of natural organic vegetables, and furthermore a petting zoo near an impressive Kashu di Surnam tree (Surinam cherry/pitanga) that hangs full of pink fruits.

The plantation house dates from the 19th century and is badly dilapidated, but the outbuildings, barns and corrals are still in use, as part of the farm. In addition, part of the former valley-floor hofje is still used intensively for agriculture.

Penso's Park

Around 1892 the plantation passed into the hands of J. E. Penso, who named the estate Penso's Park. In 1924 Mr H. Polvliet is the owner of the estate. J. van Soest writes in Olie als water that Shell then bought Kas Kòrá, Zapateer and Brievengat, together 807 hectares in size. New wells were dug here that yielded a lot of water and that could be adjusted from day to day, so that the oil company did not have to store enormous quantities of water.

The deed mentions the sale of 72 hectares for fls 26,500, so Shell paid 3.68 cents per square metre. In the north-east of the terrain it built, in two phases, houses for its employees, first 51 that were sold in 1952 and 1953, and 52 houses with two, three and four rooms during the 2nd phase in 1955.

The residential neighbourhood was built in a funnel shape between the Corrieweg and the Jongbloedweg: at the narrowest part at the beginning stood three houses that have now made way for Botica Brievengat. The widest part is the Totolicaweg, where 23 houses stand. On the little square just before the Botica, where the Jongbloedweg and the Corrieweg meet, the plaque that was unveiled at the laying of the first stone of the Cas Corá neighbourhood on 16 January 1951 still stands.

Object of exchange

At the end of the Totolicaweg there was a playground where, among other things, the Queen's birthday was celebrated. Besides the Totolicaweg, the remaining six streets in the residential neighbourhood are also named after birds: Mòfi-, Sloke-, Patrijs- (Partridge), Zwaluw- (Swallow), Eend- (Duck) and Ibisweg.

At the entrance on the Patrijsweg there was a well where neighbourhood boys sat on the lookout: boys from other neighbourhoods were not allowed to "date" girls in Kas Kòrá, as that would immediately provoke a fight.

J. van Soest writes that both Kas Kòrá and Brievengat were later used as objects of exchange by Shell. In this the oil giant swapped three plots of its generous land holdings for one plot at Groot Kwartier or Rio Canario, which lay close to its installations. Thus Cas Cora was swapped for a piece of terrain near the present Post 5.

With the arrival of Shell many workers and plantation owners left the plantations, and palm gardens and fruit hofjes at most plantations were neglected, except that of Kas Kòrá. This was set up as an experimental garden in 1940 and later grew into the plant and animal zoo of Curaçao, where various exotic animals found a home. It is now known as Curaçao Zoo & Botanical Garden, or Parke Tropikal, which organises various social and family events.

Youth traffic park

On the grounds of the former plantation also stands the youth traffic park (jeugdverkeerspark), which was opened on 28 May 1965. It is a gift from Shell to the community in connection with its golden jubilee.

In the park not only pupils can put their knowledge of traffic into practice; activities such as bike events and picnics are also organised here by the association Veilig Verkeer Curaçao (Safe Traffic Curaçao), the VVV.

The Kabouterbos (Gnome Forest)

The Kabouterbos is a popular recreation area of more than 13 hectares and is part of the valley-floor hofje of the former plantation Cas Corá.

The entrance to the park, which is managed by Uniek Curaçao, lies on the Jongbloedweg, and where fruit trees used to stand, Manzaliña trees now predominate. There is also a large dam here with several branches, so that a lot of water is caught when it has rained heavily.

A little lake has arisen here, fringed with trees and water plants, birds and insects, forming an idyllic scene. Many empty shells lie at the water that you had better avoid: they are from a poisonous African snail.

The Kabouterbos is freely accessible 24/7, equipped with sanitary facilities, picnic spots and a playground. It is the perfect place for family gatherings, children's parties, treasure hunts, mountain biking, horse riding, as a walking area and much more. The paths in Kabouterbos are marked with the recognisable yellow stones of Uniek Curaçao.

The Radulphus College

The Radulphus College, founded by the Brothers of Tilburg, also stands on the grounds of the former plantation Kas Kòrá. It is named after the remarkable Brother Maria Radulphus Adrianus Hermus (1869–1961), who was once at the head of the Catholic mission on Curaçao. After his arrival in 1897 he was director of education, Episcopal school inspector and director of the "Sint Vincentiusgesticht" at Scherpenheuvel. He acted as architect, contractor and executor for the building of various schools such as the Sint Thomas College in Otrobanda. And under his leadership a trade school for orphans and abandoned boys who were housed in the institution came into being at Scherpenheuvel.

He was respected as a wise and very dynamic personality, the driving force behind many developments in education. Even at an advanced age he was still called in as an adviser in proceedings to arrive at solutions to other social questions. An important mention is that the first original national anthem of Curaçao is credited to him.

For his services he received various distinctions such as Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Brother Radulphus died on 22 April 1961 in the Netherlands and is buried there.

The "Radulphus College" was inaugurated on 24 January 1954 as R.K. H.B.S. and Handelsschool (Roman Catholic secondary school and commercial school) and is now a HAVO and VWO institution.

Sources

Gill, Een eeuw architectuur op Curaçao. The aerial photo is also from this book (KLM Aerocarto, Archive DROV)
van Soest: Olie als water
Renkema: het plantagebedrijf op Curaçao eind 19e eeuw
Janssen, Nieuwe West-Indische Gids, In memoriam frater M. Radulphus 1869–1961
Amigoe, 14 Nov 2000: Viering 50-jarig bestaan Cas Corá in voorbereiding (Celebration of 50th anniversary of Cas Corá in preparation)
Rosa, Napa, 12 Sept 2015: Duurzame lokale productie gekoppeld aan lokale consumptie (Sustainable local production linked to local consumption)
Nobo, 11 Nov 2000: 50 aña di eksistensha di bario Kas Kòrá
Brenneker: Sambumbu, various editions
Report of the Archaeological Working Group, 2 March 2023: Het Kabouterbos