Nowadays Monteverde is known as a place where nature is protected and that is one of the reasons why people enjoy going and connecting themself with the environment, nevertheless, this beautiful town has an interesting history about its past.
In fact, around 1915 and 1920 some non-indigenous families (just about 5 to 8 families) arrived in Monteverde because they were looking for new lands suitable for cultivation and space for their domestic cattle.
The Families in Monteverde were increased and the first schools in that area were created in the 50s as a result of the rise of people, as a matter of fact, in 1951 a group of people from the USA called “Quakers” arrived in Monteverde. The Quakers came to Costa Rica because they were fleeing from the United States as a protest for the war with Korea in 1950.
The religion and beliefs of these groups of people were the reasons why they could not do the mandatory military service. Nonetheless, when they knew that Costa Rica was a country without an army, they decided to move to start a new life where they could raise their families with the values of peace, respect, simplicity, and community.
Indeed, the quakers worked to build their homes, dairies and a cheese factory called Productores de Monteverde S.A, for more than 15 years was made up of the families of this group, but them other families of the community became part of this factory (around 300 associates)
On the other hand, over the years other institutions were created, for example in 1971 Coopesanta Elena R.L was established. It was a cooperative dedicated to providing
consumer services, agricultural inputs, coffee process and marketing. Also, In 1972 was the creation of the “Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso de Monteverde”. In fact, this reserve was a center of study, research, and ecotourism related to the cloud forest biodiversity.
The first high school was “Colegio de Santa Elena” and it was an agricultural technical school but some years later it became a technical school in tourism. Moreover, in the 80’s was the decade when the first organization of women artisans was created called CASEMCOOP R.L.
The place was growing up became, thanks the biodiversity that the place has, but the boom was with the discover of the “Sapo dorado” (incilius periglenes) that was endemic of the Monteverde, but these spices got extinct 1889.
But the popularity was enough to became one of the biggest destinations of Costar Rica
