Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are two former saltpeter refineries in northern Chile. They were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 because they show the historical importance of saltpeter mining in Chile and the culture and social aspects that developed around it in the late 1800s. The sites were added to the World Heritage List in Danger in 2005 because the old and run-down buildings were fragile. They were removed from the list in 2019 after major restoration and conservation efforts were completed.

Geography

Humberstone and Santa Laura are situated 48.1 kilometers east of the city of Iquique in the Atacama Desert, part of the Tarapacá Region in northern Chile. These sites are located in the commune of Pozo Almonte and are the most well-known examples of former saltpeter works, also called "nitrate towns," in the area. Other important saltpeter works in the region include Chacabuco, Maria Elena, Pedro de Valdivia, Puelma, and Aguas Santas.

History

In 1872, when the area was still part of Peru, the Guillermo Wendell Nitrate Extraction Company started the Santa Laura saltpeter works. The company’s owner, Abraham Guillermo Wendell Tizon, a person from Lima, received permission from the Peruvian government to operate in Cala Cala and other areas. In the same year, the Peru Nitrate Company began the "La Palma" works, led by James Thomas Humberstone. Both locations grew quickly and became busy towns with buildings that looked like those in England.

La Palma became one of the largest saltpeter producers in the Tarapacá region, but Santa Laura had trouble making enough saltpeter. In 1902, the Tamarugal Nitrate Company took control of Santa Laura. In 1913, Santa Laura stopped production until 1920, when the Shanks extraction process was used to improve output. This modernization happened between 1918 and 1920, led by William J. Clayton for the London Nitrate Co. Ltd.

The economic model failed during the Great Depression of 1929 because of the invention of ammonia synthesis by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, which allowed industrial fertilizer production. Both Santa Laura and La Palma became nearly bankrupt and were bought by COSATAN (Compañía Salitrera de Tarapacá y Antofagasta) in 1934. COSATAN renamed La Palma as "Oficina Santiago Humberstone" to honor its founder, who introduced the Shanks system and is considered a key figure in the saltpeter industry. The company tried to make natural saltpeter more competitive by modernizing Humberstone, which became the most successful saltpeter works by 1940.

Both locations were abandoned in 1960 after a quick decline caused COSATAN to close in 1958. At their peak, they had about 4,000 people, with Santa Laura having 426 residents and Humberstone having more than 3,700. In 1970, after becoming ghost towns in the Atacama Desert, they were declared national monuments. Despite this protection, they suffered damage from people taking items.

In 2001, Humberstone was used as a film set for the soap opera Pampa Ilusión. The celebration of Saltpeter Week helped former workers fight for the protection of the site. This led to the creation of the Saltpeter Museum Corporation, which worked to have both sites recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 2005.

Architecture and features

Humberstone and Santa Laura are important tourist attractions in Tamarugal Province. Over many years, natural damage and theft greatly harmed these sites. However, careful restoration efforts by the Saltpeter Museum Corporation and the Tarapacá Regional Government have helped repair many of the main areas.

Most of Humberstone’s central buildings, such as its large theater, church, and company store (pulpería), were built using imported Oregon pine wood. The site shows clear differences between the large buildings and homes for owners and workers compared to the smaller homes of the pampino workers. Humberstone provided housing based on a worker’s role in the company (employees, professionals, or workers; married or single), and included access to drinking water, electricity, and a sewage system.

Santa Laura is known for its large chimney, visible from far away, and its processing plant ("la máquina"), made of Oregon pine and iron, where cooking pots (cachuchos) were used. Other important features include the crushing plant, power house, administration building, and main square.

Gallery

• View of Humberstone
• Outside of Humberstone Theater
• Inside of Humberstone Theater
• Outside of Humberstone Church
• Inside of Humberstone Church
• Humberstone Locomotive
• Entrance to Humberstone
• Santa Laura plant
• Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
• Abandoned Machinery at Santa Laura
• Clock at Humberstone
• Mining cart
• Kitchen in a worker's home
• Bedroom in a worker's home
• Doctor's office
• Steel swimming pool
• School desks
• Kiosk
• Tennis courts
• Street in the saltpeter works