History of Montenegro

Miguel Duque Betancourt bought the land for the township for a price of 300 pesos, from Agapito Herrera, the municipal judge in Salento. Along with his parents, Duque had arrived in the area from Salamina, Caldas. They settled in what would later become the vereda La Esmeralda.

Although he was only 25 years old, Duque became the president of the municipal council, which met for the first time on October 17, 1890. This date is now considered the foundation date for Montenegro. Seven years later, on September 10, 1897, Montenegro was recognized as a town (corregimiento) of the municipality of Filandia. It became a separate municipality on April 6, 1911