Mary's Hope started in 1817[2] as a slave plantation, producing cotton, owned by Edward Conolly[3] who was originally from Ireland. 138 people were enslaved on the plantation at the time of the emancipation of slavery in 1863.[2] Later, the plantation changed ownership several times, and was in a neglected state. In 1872, Mary's Hope was the fourth largest settlement in the district of Coronie.[2]
On 15 December 1874, land was donated to a Roman Catholic mission to build a school, a church and a rectory. In 1875, a little church was built. In 1884, Peter Donders was the parson, and Mary's Hope had developed into the most important parish in Coronie.[2] In 1892, the Church of Immaculate Conception was constructed. The church was built by Frans Harmes who also constructed the cathedral in Paramaribo.[4]
In 1922, Father J. de Kort embarked on a plan to create a rice polder. In 1935, the Sint Jozef vereniging[5] was founded, a cooperation of rice growers,[6] and Mary's Hope has developed as a rice growing community.[5]
The village is connected to the electricity grid, but has no telephone connection.[1]
Suriname
