Barranco was founded in the early 1860s as a fishing camp for Garifuna fishermen from Punta Gorda and quickly settled as a thriving fishing and farming community.
In its early history, productive family farms extended from the Temash River all the way to the Sarstoon River.
Barranco reached it's peak with a population of 250 in the 1890s.[1]
In 1938 a police station was constructed.[2]
Santiago J. Aviliz was the alcalde and Hector Loredo the deputy alcalde in 1963. Santiago Avilez died and Ignacio Nicholas replaced him on April 8, 1963 as the alcalde. [3]
Historically Barranco was called Barranco Colorado which means Red Cliff. The reason was a red clay coastline that stands at an elevation of about 15 feet above sea level.[1]
In 1949 the police force consisted of 1 officer.[4]