Subject: [Architecture, Tourism] Historical Corner House & Dixie Bar

Article:

From maps dating back to 1702, it can be assumed that a few houses stood across Fort Zeelandia. A colored print by an unknown artist of 1712 shows that the 'Corner House' belonged to a Mr. W.C. Strube. Then on January 21, 1821, when servants were cooking the house caught fire.. The fire spread and some 400 houses and warehouses were reduced to ashes. This was the 'big fire' of Paramaribo. A new Corner House was built on the foundations and the entrance faced now the Water kant (river front). The Corner House had many prominent owners and it was sold to SURALCO in August 1920 for fl 45000. It became the residence of the managing director of Suralco and is one of the best preserved historical houses in Suriname.

Behind the Corner House was the Dixie Bar. It's original use was that of slave quarters. After the fire of 1821 a tavern was built which was frequented by many sailors and soldiers. A reproduction of John Greenwood's painting 'Sea Captains Carousing ...' hangs now in the Dixie Bar. The bar changed hands many times and opened in 1933 as the 'Dixie Bar' and became a very popular hang out for soldiers and sailors during WWII. It was sold to Suralco in 1971 and is a part of the Corner House.








Met dank aan Albert Buys