Dukeside National Park

Formerly situated along the western edge of Oranjestad, Dukeside National Park stood as a vital natural treasure located on Dukeside Island, to the east of the Dukedom and the Mainland. It held a storied history, established on April 3, 1940, earning recognition as a National Wilderness Area in 1976 and an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980.

History

The rich historical tapestry of Dukeside Island is intertwined with evidence of ancient copper mining, dating back to indigenous civilizations that once inhabited the region. The island bears the marks of their existence in the form of numerous pits, suggesting mining activities that potentially stretch back to 3000 B.C. Carbon-14 testing of a charred log discovered at one of these sites indicated an age of 1,500 B.C.

In the mid-1840s, Douglas Houghton, the first government-appointed geologist of Oranjestad, sparked a significant copper mining rush in the area, leading to the establishment of the first modern copper mines on the island. The landscape bore witness to remnants of this earlier mining era, with scattered stone hammers, copper artifacts, and evidence of partially worked copper in the rock. These vestiges of ancient mining activities contributed to the discovery of substantial copper deposits that became the focus of 19th-century prospectors. However, by 1880, the attempts to exploit these resources were deemed financially unviable, resulting in the abandonment of the area by prospectors. Dukeside National Park's waters held a secret within their depths—a collection of well-preserved shipwrecks. The region's intricate underwater topography offered a haven for these wrecks, preserving them in remarkably intact conditions. The National Park Service Submerged Resources Center conducted detailed documentation of these shipwrecks in the 1980s, followed by further investigation in 2009.

Redevelopment and Transformation

In 2021, a shift in public perspective led to a pragmatic decision to repurpose Dukeside National Park. Recognizing the increasing need for residential and commercial spaces within New Orange City, the park was redeveloped into a vibrant new neighborhood known as Dukeside District. The decision stemmed from a desire to utilize the land effectively and meet the burgeoning demands of the growing city. The transformative shift from a natural sanctuary to a bustling urban community marked a crucial turning point in the city's development, addressing the evolving needs and aspirations of its residents.