Grande Riviere was initially settled by immigrants from Venezuela in the
1860s. They planted cacao as a cash crop, together with various subsistence
crops. They were joined by immigrants from Tobago only 35 km to the
northeast. This was the beginning of the cocoa boom in Trinidad which lasted
from 1866 to 1920. Economic life was dominated by the 650-acre (2.6 km)
Grande Riviere estate, a cocoa plantation which was the major employer in the
area. In addition to working as wage labourers on the estate, villagers also
grew cocoa on small holdings which was either sold to the estate or to outside
buyers
