In 1572, Spanish
conquistador Juan de Salcedo visited Camarines Norte on his way to reduce Bicol
and found thriving settlements around gold mines in Paracale and Mambulao (Jose
Panganiban) as well as in Daet and Indan. The existence of gold mines in the
region encouraged the Spaniards to colonize and Christianize the inhabitants.
The region was placed under the jurisdiction of a province of Camarines in 1573.
In 1829, the
province of Camarines was divided in the first of a series of attempts to
separate Camarines Norte from Camarines Sur. The province of Camarines Norte
covered the towns of Daet, Talisay, Indan, Labo, Paracale, Mambulao, Capalonga,
Ragay, Lupi and Sipocot. In 1846, the towns of Sipocot, Lupi and Ragay were
returned to Camarines Sur. In 1854 the two provinces were formed into the
province of Ambos Camarines and were once more separated three years later. In
1893, the two provinces were again united into Ambos Camarines and they remained
united until March 1919 when the American Governor General approved an act
dividing Ambos Camarines into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.
