Duzaghaj

The altitudes of Kessab comprise the western and the northern parts of Duzaghaj, whereas on the eastern part are located the mountains which form the natural boarders of the region. Duzaghaj was completely surrounded by evergreen forests at the middle of the 19th century. The road linking Lattakia to Antioch passed through these forests. In the 40-ies of the same century, foreigners bought from the government the right to invest the forests in Duzaghaj. For this reason, many workforces from Kessab and other neighboring villages came to labor in Duzaghaj.
Because of this forest eradication project, the whole esplanade was afflicted with baldness within few years. Utilizing the situation, the dwellers of the neighboring villages ploughed the land, sow the area and built up permanent dwelling cottages. The families that settled this way in Duzaghaj mainly came form Sev aghpouyr, Korkouna, Chakaljek, Chinarjek and Kessab.
This village never had its own church or official representative.
On the 23rd of April 1909, the Turks, coming form Ordou, invaded the village and gutted the whole region. The villagers ran away to Iki-zoloukh and joined the other refugees there. After one week they returned to their village.
In 1915, the villagers were deported in two groups together with the dwellers of Korkouna. A small part of the deported people returned between 1919 and 1920. In 1939, after the new definition of the Syrian boarders, the eastern part of Duzaghaj fell in Turkey.
In 1947, the majority of the villagers repatriate to Armenia.
Between 1950 and 1960, as a result to the difficult financial situations, the youth left the village to Lebanon and other counties seeking job opportunities. Consequently, the village was mostly emptied. Those working in Lebanon returned to their village after the initiation of the domestic war there.
The original Duzaghaj village is abandoned today. The new generation has moved to live along the main road building their houses closer to the highway.

Schools
Several schools were active in Duzaghaj.
a-The Armenian evangelical school; was established sometime in the middle of the 18th century and was considered a division of the Armenian evangelical school of Kessab. It remained active up until 1910.
b-The national school. It was active between 1910 and 1915, and then between 1924 and 1942. It was considered a division of the Mesrobian national school of Karadouran.
c-The AGBU related national school.