St Martins Salt Industry
St Martins Salt Industry has always been precious to people. The Arawaks named the island “Soualiga”, meaning Land of Salt. In 1624 the Dutch moored on Sint Maarten, to repair their ships from damage sustained during their voyage. They soon discovered the Great Salt Pond. This was a major find for them, because now they had access to a supply of valuable goods. If, for a long period of time it would not rain, the salt yields were very substantial. The salt was stored in tree locations in Philipsburg without, protection from the elements.
The salt pond in Grand Case was the largest on the French side. The press, that crushed the salt crystals in the early days, still stands. The pond would be filled with salt water. Than the sun would evaporate the water, leaving salt crystals. The ships would make a circle, picking up slaves in Africa and making the passage to the Caribbean. There they traded the slaves for salt and sugar (frequently in the form of rum). Then they would head for the USA, where the salt and sugar could be sold and cotton could be picked up in the southern states. The salt was battered for salted fish and the ships would return eastward across the Atlantic with salted fish, cotton, and sugar, rum and salt.
During St Martins salt Industry times were hard for all those involved. The harvest season lasted between 6 to 7 months; at least 500 people would work in different groups. Free citizens, slaves, children and senior citizens from the Dutch and French side of the island would have a special task to fulfil. The Dutch side stopped the production of salt in 1949, to be followed by the French side in 1967, after which the salt industry came to an end on this beautiful Caribbean island.
