Largely uninhabited until 1822, Manzanilla beach saw new settlers when Governor Ralph Woodford brought soldiers of the West India Regiment in the area.
These agricultural productions were so large that wastage was a common feature of their lands and also because of the infrequency that the round-island steamer collected their produce.
The residents of the area later developed cocoa and coffee and by 1898, the problem of transport of goods was solved with the introduction of the railway to neighboring Sangre Grande.
As a result of an agreement between Sir Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt, Manzanilla village served as a base of operations in the Caribbean for American soldiers in World War II in 1942.
[3][4][5] As one of the most sparsely populated areas on the island, Manzanilla has become a choice tourism destination for visitors seeking a quieter and less commercial beach experience.