LAGO: Industrial Power, Social Change, and National Rebirth Anniversary Edition – 2025 In this sweeping and deeply researched volume, Dr. Jorge R. Ridderstaat chronicles the rise, reign, and rupture of one of the Caribbean’s most consequential industrial institutions: The Lago Oil & Transport Company Ltd. From Aruba’s pre-industrial roots in gold, phosphate, and aloe to its transformation into a global oil refining powerhouse, this book traces a century of economic ambition, geopolitical intrigue, and social upheaval. Drawing on archival records, oral histories, and newly digitized sources, Ridderstaat reconstructs the refinery’s founding in 1924, its strategic role in World War II, its postwar expansion, and its eventual closure in 1985, an event that reshaped Aruba’s economy, politics, and environment. The book also explores the island’s environmental legacy, failed revival attempts, and the cultural imprint of the Lago Colony. This 2025 edition is not just a historical account. It is a thematic reimagining. It interrogates the meaning of industrial legacy in a postcolonial context and reflects on how memory, migration, and resilience continue to shape Aruba’s national identity. Whether you are a historian, economist, environmental scholar, or simply curious about the forces that shaped modern Aruba, LAGO offers a compelling, data-rich, and human-centered narrative of transformation.