In 2002 a committee had been established to formally request UNESCO to declare Saba a World Heritage Site.

In 1992 the Saba University School of Medicine was established as a joint project between the Island Government and a group of medical educators from the United States. It trains medical doctors and other health care professionals. The Saba University of Medicine contributes to the island’s economic growth and healthcare services.

In 1987 the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF) was established by Tom van’t Hof. The SCF is a non profit organization with a mission to preserve and manage Saba’s natural and cultural heritage.

In 1972 the Leo A. Chance Pier at Fort Bay was built. The pier accommodates sailboats and small cruise ships
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In 1963 the electricity arrived on the island too, but did not become available for 24 hours a day until 1970.

Late 30's the plan was to build a road, but according to Dutch engineers,because of the steep terrain, roads couldn't be built on the island. Saban Josephus Lambert Hassell took a correspondence course in road building and the Saban people built the road with their own hands. After 5 years, in 1943, the road from Fort Bay to The Bottom was completed. However, it wasn't until 1947 that the first motor vehicle arrived. In 1951, people could reach Windwardside and St. Johns by car too and in 1958 the entire road was finished.

The Dutch engineers also thought the construction of the airport were impossible. According to a pilot from St. Barths, who looked over the flat-topped rock, thought that landing might be possible. The Saba people made the area flat, mostly by hand, by removing big rocks and filling in holes. In 1959, the pilot landed, proving that landing on the island of Saba was possible.
Regular air service from St. Maarten began mid-1963. The airport was named after Minister of Finance and Welfare, Juancho E. Yrausquin, who gave governmental assistance.

In 1934 families who lived at Mary's Point were moved to their new homes in The Promised Land, because the people who lived there were too isolated from the supply routes that'd been established..

In the 17th and 18th centuries the inhabitants depended on the sugar and rum industry until mid-1800s. From that time the male population went out to sea and developed into highly skilled fishermen and seamen. In this period Saba was also known as "Island of Women."

Remains of foundations of the first settlement in 1640 can be found at Tent Bay, the west side of the island. The first homes were built in The Bottom, nowadays the capital of Saba, about 250 meters above the sea. This village was accessible from the only two landing places of the island: Ladder Bay and Fort Bay. The only way to come ashore was with the help of expert boatmen; therefore the island was almost inaccessible. Several surfboats repeated the landing over and over till all passengers, baggage and cargo were shuttled to and from the steamer. The only way to get up from Ladder Bay to The Bottom was a climb of 800 steps, hand-hewn from stone. The Bottom was later connected by mountain paths with the other villages, St. Johns, Windwardside, Hell's Gate, and Mary's Point.

On November 13, 1493 Christopher Columbus was the first European who sighted Saba. After that the island was in hands of the French, English, Spanish, and Dutch. Finally in 1816 Holland took possession of Saba. Before the discovery of Columbus in 1493, Arawak Indians used to live on the island, some objects were found to prove this settlement. Settlements were located at Spring Bay in the Northeast and in the places, where the present villages are. The pottery found in The Bottom can be dated 800-1000 AD. Artifacts of this period and other objects can be found in the State Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, The Netherlands.
Text Provided by the Saba Tourist Office
Pictures provided by Will Johnson.