It was one of the most prosperous of the three districts of the Province. Most of her revenues came from leasing the turtle boats each year to the most successful bidder, and from the "Baker's Coconut Plantation Co.", in Cocoplum Point. A company engaged in planting coconut around 1924 or 1925, it started operating in Cocoplum Point (in spanish, "Punta de Icaco").

The chief men from this company came from the Cayman Islands. They employed lots of men, about one hundred from all over. They stuff, etc. They also had a boat making weekly trips between Bocas Town and Cocoplum Point. This boat was also named "Cocoplum". They shipped the coconuts out to the United States. They also used the meat, drying it, when it was turned into a hard leather like stuff called "copra", which they also shipped out to the United States.

Men were also used in finding and killing a bug that would destroy the young plants, paying 25 cents for bug. When the time came, as it does to all business, they just closed down and went away. Since it was in the Bastimentos jurisdiction, whatever taxes they used to pay and which helped to swell its revenues, on leaving, Bastimentos was left with little money to pay its employees. As a matter of fact, Bastimentos, after a few years of strenous struggle for existence, ceased to be a district, giving way to Changuinola, which now has been a district since 1969.

It is alleged that the name "Bastimentos" was given to Old Bank as a result of Columbus landing there to replenish his store of provisions before sailing out. I may venture to say that Bastimentos has seen better days there was a fair sprinkling of West Indian element. Not all were good as you will find among all nationalities, but we must face the truth. They brought us their West Indies culture, ministers, their school teachers, tailors, barbers and farmers. All these contribute toward the progress and advancement of the island.

There were many West Indians in Old Bank on account of the closing down of the French Canal and a good many of them, instead of going back to ther old homeland, found it easier to move on to Bocas, because they were farmers and procuring land in Bocas was absolutely no problem, so that was their inducement to come to Bocas they were called "drift coconuts" by the natives or creoles, simply because they had superior knowledgement in farming and this created jealousy amont the real native.

One notable farmer from Jamaica was Robert Earlington. This special farmer brought to Old Bank the first mule, jackass donkey and assisted the natives in the art of successful farming. We, the people of Old Bank had never seen a mule or donkey until Earlington brought such animals. Only horses and cows had we seen. He was a mulato, "con pelo bonito" (with beautiful hair), from a successful farming family. I think he was looking for better farming facilities.

Hospital Point is situated on the western end of Solarte Island. Christopher Columbus sailed in front of the island during his fourth voyage in 1502.

As english-speaking bucaneers, pirates and colonists, came during the next three centuries the island became known as Nancy's Cay. In United Fruit Company medical files from 1899 to 1920, "Nances Cay", is used. The Spanish name of the island is Solarte.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the banana business prospered and people from different countries came to the islands to take advantage of this new industry.

Several banana companies operated in Bocas del Toro during the last years of the 19th century. In 1899 the giant United Fruit Company replaced all other banana interests in the region, establishing their main office in the city of Bocas del Toro. To ensure a healthy and functional work force, the company built a Medical Center on the west end of Solarte, a place that came to be known as Hospital Point.

The United Fruit Co. recognized that their investments would be exposed to big risks unless they improved public health standards. It had just been discovered that yellow fever and malaria were transmitted by mosquitoes. By isolating the victims and destroying the breeding sites of the mosquito, these devastating diseases could be controlled.

The Hospital Service of the United Fruit Co. in Bocas del Toro was installed on August 20, 1899. Little was known about appropriate sanitary methods and malaria and yellow fever were very common. The first two years proved to be the worst in the Company's history, with a mortality rate over 5%. The new building in Solarte, described as a principal hospital with an annex, was inaugurated on June 23, 1900.

The footnotes in old pictures make a reference to this facility as "Quarantine Island".

Solarte is 2 kilometers to the east of Bocas del Toro city, and this isolated the Medical Center from the sickness and health problems rampant in Colon Island where Bocas del Toro is located. Before the hospital, this part of the island was inhabited by a few creole families.

The Medical Center accommodated 6 administrative patients. There, were also the Director's residence, a kitchen and a pharmacy. The other patients were attended to in the annex.

In 1904, a Hospital was built for the colored people, a house for the Division Manager and another for the physicians. In 1914, a building for surgery, a laboratory, a pharmacy and an office, were added. In total, the Medical Center was comprised of 16 buildings, grouped together on the narrow and steep point, on only 8 hectare of land, 9 meters above sea level.

When the banana plantations on the islands and on the shores died from a fungus disease, the plantations were moved to the plains on the mainland. The Medical Center of Solarte was closed in 1920 after only two decades of use. The buildings were dismantled and the forest quickly covered this part of the island until recently when private homes were built here.

N. of E.: Today, visitors can appreciate the remains of concrete columns and sidewalks of the complex. In the nearby forest are several tombs, some identified and others not. In the sea, snorkellers and divers can appreciate the history of Hospital Point in the form of rails, ceramic and bottles.

Guaymi, Teribe and Bokota indians were the primitive inhabitants of Bocas del Toro, when Christopher Columbus, in 1502, navegated with his two ships into the bay called by the indians "Caroboro", today Admiral Bay.

Isolated from Panama but open to the rest of the world and the Caribbean, Bocas had an interesting history during the three following centuries.

During the colonial period (16th to 19th centuries) the spanish didn't have established populations in the region almost forgotten by their government.

The english took advantage of this fact establishing settlements like in Boca del Drago where it was reported, in 1745, that they were growing cattle and chickens.

The english presence played a very important role in the life in the Archipelago.

In the beginning of the 19th century, english ships from Jamaica, make an active commerce with the Central America coast, Bocas del Toro included, where traded goods by carey (marine turtle shell), live marine turtles, cocoa, mahogany wood and zarzaparilla.

In 1826 Bocas del Toro town was founded by Jamaica, San Andres and Providencia inmigrants, but still during the first years after this foundation, the town was a camp of traders in carey, some of them coming so far as the United States.

Most of the population were trafficants and adventurers of different nationalities, attracted by the new commercial oportunities.

In 1837 was created the Bocas del Toro canton, and during the next 50 years Bocas was part of the provinces of Chiriqui, Panama and Colon, this time as a distrit.

In 1880 begins the history of the banana in the region, being created Snyder Banana Co in 1890 and United Fruit Co in 1899.

Apart of banana, big land extensiones were destinated to grow sugar cane, cocoa and coconut. Still was very important the exportation of carey and live turtles. Also other businesses surged in the region like the shipment of merchandises and passengers to Colon and other caribbean ports, by the Surgeon Brothers company.

After the separation of Panama from Columbia, when Bocas was scenery of some confrontations, was created the Bocas del Toro Province, in 1903, and this period, until 1930, was when Bocas del Toro economy flourished due to of its agriculture, fishery, comercial and industrial grow, leading the province to be the third in importance in Panama.

At that time, in Bocas existed consulates of England, Germany, Costa Rica, United States and France, while three journals were published: The Telegraph, The Citizen and The Central American Express.

But a strange banana pest had been started to sick the banana plants about 1914 and in 1934 the destruction was absolute, beginning a period of decay for the islands.

In 1981 a road from Gualaca was built to connect the Interamerican Highway to Chiriqui Grande, the only way to reach Bocas del Toro by land. Paralell with the road Petroterminals Co started to transport oil from Alaska, in the west coast to the west coast of USA, using the oleoduct that still runs along the road.

This oil transportation was suspended in 1995, when the company started to build the new containers port, transforming the route Puerto Armuelles-Chiriqui Grande in a transistmic dry chanel.

A new road, now connecting Chiriqui Grande with Almirante, completes the union of this province to the rest of the country by land, ending the isolation of the region.

Tourism now is a new alternative that had arrived to the islands, and due to the natural richness of the Archipelago, looks like it is an alternative to stay.