Saba History
500,000 BC - The island of Saba was formed as the top of a volcano that became active during the middle of the late Pleisocene era. Saba is a dormant volcano and has not erupted for about 5,000yrs.
1175 BC - Hunters and gathers called Cibony are considered to be the earliest settlers on Saba. They lived near Fort Bay where recent radiocarbon samples show that the site is over 3,000yrs old.
800 AD - Arawak Indians migrated into the Caribbean basin from South America and built villages on Saba.
1493 - Christopher Columbus passed Saba on his second expedition to the new world.
1816 - Holland took possession of Saba.
The Twentieth Century - Saba develops at a far greater speed:
1909 - A navigational school is started by Frederick Simmons to train young Saban men in the ways of the sea.
1920 - As Saba relied (and continues to rely!) on collected rainfall for it’s water, cisterns were constructed for individual homes and communal use as well.
1943 - The first stage of “The Road That Couldn’t Be Built” was completed. Josephus “Lambee” Hassell took a correspondence course in road building and under his supervision, over the next 15 years, the road was completed.
1963 - The Juancho E. Yrausquin airport is constructed on the site of the first landing and a regular air service begins.
1972 - The Leo A. Chance Pier was built at Fort Bay.
1987 - The Saba Conservation Foundation and Marine Park were established to preserve Saba’s terrestrial and marine environments.
2006 - As The Netherlands Antilles is dissolved Saba chooses a closer association with the Netherlands rather than independence.