Nosara History

Nosara is rich with archeological history although no major sites exist. It is not uncommon for landowners to find vestiges of these ancient cultures, buried in the soil, while building or planting crops. It is clear however that the area in Nosara was at best sparsely populated and real settlement took place well after the Spanish conquest.

In 1821, Central America (Costa Rica included) declared independence from Spain. Thereafter the Central American republics were established. Originally Guanacaste belonged to Nicaragua, however in 1846 the annexation of Guanacaste as part of Costa Rica took place. "Guanacastecos" (as the people living in the province are referred to) have always had a deeply rooted sense of independence. At times it appears as though they consider themselves Guanacastecos first and then Costa Rican. This strong sense of identity give the area noticeable distinction from the rest of Costa Rica, and the advanced Spanish speaker will even notice a variance in their Spanish accent.

For generations, the land around Nosara was used mainly for cattle pasture. Large tracts of land were deforested thus greatly diminishing the beauty of the area. However, 35 years ago a community of foreigners was established in the area and they made reforestation a priority. Today, Nosara is one of the green zones of greatest beauty in all of Costa Rica. Thick rich forest grows in areas that were once razed for the benefit of cattle. Nosara's "Proyecto Americano" is a perfect example of responsible planning and development. A large number of homes exist in the area yet the first time visitor will can still feel total isolation and surround himself with nothing but a pristine tropical environment.

Nosara serves as a perfect example of planned growth that is the model for development in other areas of Costa Rica. A civic association was established to jealously guard the interests of the people in the zone as well as the environment. As a result Nosara enjoys the cleanest water table in Costa Rica, clean ocean water with no dumping of gray or black water into the streams or beaches (sad to say only a few parts of Costa Rica can boast this claim), regularly schedules refuse collection, and excellent health and educational services for the towns people.

 

Special thanks to www.norsara.com for the contribution of this content