Toco
originally referred to as Punta Galera. (The name “Galera",
which name Christopher Columbus gave to the southeastern point,
and which was erroneously transferred to this one).
The village centre which lies about two miles to the west.
It was here, that an English force under Sir Henry Colt came
ashore in 1631 without the knowledge of the Spanish authorities
and tried to found a settlement. They were expelled by the
Dutch who landed south of here in 1637, and who formed a
close alliance with the Amerindians in the area. Shortly after
expulsion
of the English by the Dutch, the Spaniards expelled the Dutch.
About a century later Capuchin priests from Spain came on the
scene, and founded a mission a little to the west of where
the village centre it today. The mission was for the conversion
of the Amerindians. These native people, thought to be of
the Carib tribe, are the ones who gave the name “Toco,” to
the area, but the meaning of “Toco” is not clear.
Incidentally, the area of the mission referred to is known
as Mission Village.
The position of that mission was a little way inland, on the
west of Toco Bay and there was another such mission south of
the peninsula, at a place called Cumana. These two missions
were linked by a track known today as Anglais Road (Anglais
the French word for English). Undoubtedly this road derived
its name from the English settling party of 1631.
The
development of Toco came a few years after 1783, when a cedula
encouraging Caribbean French immigrations to settle
in Trinidad came into effect. The Spanish Governor, Jose
Maria Chacon, granted six parcels of land, which we know
as Toco
today. One of these original settler families, D’Godet,
flourished well into the 19th, century. Other settlers in
the area were Monique, Ponne, Traille, Narcise, and Rotan. Hostels in Toco |
ROOMS TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
