Groot Kwartier
Neighbourhood in Willemstad, Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Groot Kwartier is a neighbourhood of Willemstad, Curaçao, a Lesser Antilles island in the Dutch Caribbean. It is better known as Emmastad, a villa ward built by Royal Dutch Shell for its employees. Emmastad is officially part of Groot Kwartier.[3]
Groot Kwartier
Emmastad | |
|---|---|
Neighbourhood | |
Church in Emmastad (1940s) | |
  Groot Kwartier Location in Curaçao | |
| Coordinates: 12.1365°N 68.9138°W | |
| State | Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Country | Curaçao |
| City | Willemstad |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.42 km2 (0.93 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 2,611 |
| • Density | 1,080/km2 (2,790/sq mi) |
History
Groot Kwartier started as a plantation in 1694. The plantation produced bananas, divi-divi and livestock, but was mainly known for its large fresh water supply.[4] In 1915, the nearby plantation Asiento was bought by Royal Dutch Shell. Initially the grounds were used as a harbour. In 1923, neighbourhoods were built on Groot Kwartier to house employees hired from other Caribbean islands. In 1929, the area owned by Shell was renamed Emmastad.[5]
Between 1945 and 1955, Emmastad was enlarged with residential neighbourhoods for the Dutch employees of Royal Dutch Shell.[6] The houses constructed during that period were luxurious, free-standing villas.[6] Emmastad was a segregated and gated community where blacks and coloureds were only allowed entry with a special pass.[7] In the 1960s, Shell started selling the houses.[8] Emmastad is no longer segregated, and has become a popular neighbourhood for the middle class; however, the older parts of Groot Kwartier are poorer.[9]
