History of Quibdó

History

By Richard McColl

The history of the city is largely uncharted but for a few mentions thanks to the work of Fray Matias Abbot in 1648, when the Franciscan order was granted the lands in the area by Embera Indians.

While the city was destroyed under subsequent attacks by hostile tribes, in 1654 it was rebuilt under the watch of the Jesuits Pedro Caceres and Francisco de Orta.

Later Quibdó declared its independence in February 1813 and in 1825 the city was officially named San Francisco de Quibdó.

In 1948 when the department of Choco was created, Quibdó was named its capital.

In 1966, the city was once more ravaged by fire.

Currently, it is better known as being in the heart of the zona roja and suffering from urban forms of malaria and poverty.