History
Le Marigot is a town in the North Atlantic of Martinique between Lorrain to the east, Fond-Saint-Denis and Gros-Morne to the south and Sainte-Marie to the west. It is a small town which owes its name to its inhabitants at the beginning of the 20th century who called it like that because of the low and marshy ground which was there not far from the village. Indeed, the Marigot designates a depression invaded by stagnant water, the backwater of a river or a river.
In 1923, the municipal council plans to change the name of the town and call it Fonds-d'Or to dispel the image of an unhealthy and marshy region evoked by the word backwater. The decision was adopted in 1926 but only 3 years later, the town regained its original name.
For the history of Marigot, we must largely refer to that of Lorrain. Indeed, the Marigot did not appear until 1889 following a redistribution of the Lorrain. The same year the Lorrain factory was founded on the site of the former Lagrange habitation. However, contrary to what one might think, it is indeed on the territory of the municipality of Marigot that the Lorrain factory is located.
The Lorrain factory is founded on January 3, 1889 by Pierre Guillaume Assier de Pompignan, main shareholder and first administrator of the Usine. He received from the mayor the authorization to build a jetty with a railway, for the loading of the products of the region (rum and sugar) and the unloading of the supplies intended for the said Usine. The train had to engage in reverse. The boats transported the goods to boats anchored offshore to be loaded before setting sail for their destinations.
Three canoes operated Marigot-Trinité and Marigot-Fort de France shuttles for the transport of products and equipment. Not far from there were several storage sheds. They were built along the river by the sea. It will be managed for 40 years by Léon Bally who had taken over from Assier de Pompignan after the latter had sold his shares. The closure of the Usine du Lorrain in 1955, a consequence of a difficult economic, social and technical situation, will cause the wharf to lose interest, which has since become a unique place to walk in Martinique for lovers and other lovers of the sea.
It will also be a turning point in the economic life of the municipality which will be nothing more than agricultural land.
Note that Eugène Mona the famous singer and flautist spent his childhood there and declared: "I am a child of Marigot who wants to touch the universal... It is possible, right?".
Economy
As said previously, the municipality of Marigot mainly concentrates agricultural activities. Food crops occupy an important place with more than 300 hectares where lemons and guavas are cultivated. A part remains reserved for horticulture with the planting of alpinias. Fishing also occupies an important part in the municipality although it remains rather intended for local consumption.
Le Marigot is developing and selling freshwater crayfish and shrimp in Séguineau. It is the largest aquaculture area in Martinique with 40 ponds.