Heavy forests rich in timber, especially mora, once covered the entire area of the east coast between Sangre Grande and the lower part of Toco. These resources were difficult to exploit since there were no proper roads leading into the area.
Moreover, the rugged, unsheltered nature of the few bays on this part of the coastline made the anchoring of vessels quite difficult. The area known today as Matura was marked by the Spaniards and by Captain Frederick Mallett after the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797, but it seems to have remained uncultivated.
The ancient Farfan family of St Joseph held considerable lands along the banks of the Oropouche River in the vicinity.
Principally cocoa proprietors, they suffered when the price of cocoa plunged disastrously in 1827 and they were forced to leave St Joseph and live in the forest for a year or so, sustained by the hunting abilities of a few faithful slaves who had accompanied them into their enforced exile. The possession was known as El Riposo and even contained a small wooden chapel where a son of the family, the venerable Abbe Farfan, the first Trinidadian priest to be ordained, said mass.
It was the cocoa boom period of 1870-1920 that finally saw Matura emerge as a settlement when the high prices of this commodity on the global market stimulated many small and large planters to convert virgin forests into estates. A rough bridle path led from the place known as Cunapo to Balandra Bay, where with much difficulty, the Island Steamer called once a week or so, and small boats loaded with beans would meet it for shipping of the produce of the area and delivery of mail.
The arrival of a terminus of the Trinidad Government Railway at Sangre Grande in 1898 greatly enhanced the prospects for development in Matura. About two decades prior to the railway, however, there was deemed enough of a population for the Government to open a Ward School, especially since Matura had been declared a Ward in the County of St Andrew under the local government system established by Lord Harris in 1849. Almost at the same time (1878-79) there was a Roman Catholic church in the village.
J H Collens had the following to say of Matura in 1887:
“Matura is a growing village, with a police station and Roman Catholic Church. In the neighbourhood are some good cacao estates, notably those of Mr Vito Larns and Mr Gray; while nearer the Oropouche River are the valuable properties of Mrs Devenish and the Farfan family. The ford at the Oropouche is quite passable, and most of the other rivers are bridged over. The road is a good one, falling into the eastern main road at Valencia, six miles from Arima.”
During the 1880s and 1890s, a series of government rest houses for the accommodation of public officers in far-flung districts were constructed. Matura was the location of one of these facilities which could extend hospitality to travelling civilians as well with the proper introductions. Of this matter, Harry Vincent wrote in 1910:
“We turned sharp round to the right along the Matura Road, which here dwindled to an Indian trail covered in parts with burnt clay. Two miles along this track and we reached the Government rest house where we stopped for breakfast. I should here mention for the benefit of tourists, that although they are nearly always sure of getting accommodation at the different island rest houses, it is advisable before leaving Port of Spain, to get a letter from the Director or Assistant Director of Public Works recommending them to the courtesies of the district road officer who has direct charge of those bungalows. The Matura rest house was at this time in charge of an East Indian Creole of Demerara and his wife, who evidently kept all the appointments of the establishment in capital condition, and served us up meals which were irreproachable as to quality, plain but good.”
The end of the Island Steamer service in 1928 did little to mar the prospects of Matura since by then, the bridle path which served as the main entryway into the village was developed into a proper road. This made access to the excellent beach at Balandra possible by motor car and it became a popular weekend spot.
Above the village was a huge satellite dish, now defunct, which was formerly the international receiver of state telecommunications provider, Textel. The construction of numerous vacation properties in the area is yet another aspect of the growth of Matura, a far cry from its former isolation.