Before the arrival of Europeans in the early 1600’s, the district of Laborie had been home to different groups of Amerindians, as evidenced by artifacts found in various locations. Arawak artifacts such as zemis and pottery have been found in the Black Bay area and there are intriguing rock basins and petroglyphs in some inland locations. The deep bays of the district with their reef-protected shores provided attractive locations for human habitation.

It is likely that the first European settlers of the village now known as Laborie were the French in the 1700’s. In 1763, under French control, there were perhaps a dozen houses in the small community known as “L’Islet à Caret”, nestled along a sheltered bay on the south west corner of St Lucia. The name was French for ‘Turtle Island’, so named after the loggerhead turtle (Caretta Caretta) that came to nest on the beaches and the sandy island that once existed in the bay. Shortly after, sugarcane was introduced in addition to the existing crops of cocoa, coffee and cotton.

Laborie became an independent parish in 1765. By 1775 more houses had appeared along with the first church and 81 estates throughout the quarter had been given to French settlers, some of whose names live on in the names of the small communities such as Augier, Banse, etc. The population in 1769 was listed as 91 whites, 12 ‘free coloureds’ and 609 Negroes (these figures are not including women or children). By 1780, Laborie was one of the main settlements in Saint Lucia, supporting the second largest population after Soufriere.

The descendents of some of these first settlers still live here including members of the Roland, Joyeux, Alexander and Carasco families. In those days, ‘free coloureds’ referred to ‘gens couleur’ or the offspring of mixed-race relationships. In Creole they were called ‘mestif’ and they could own property, etc.

In October 1780, a devastating hurricane hit Saint Lucia and destroyed most of the buildings and crops on the island. That hurricane, thought to be the worst in Saint Lucia’s recorded history, also swept away the little island in the bay but the Kwéyòl name and identity of Anse Kawet (Bay of the Turtles) is still alive in the culture and lore of the area. By 1789, the village was renamed Laborie in honor of Baron Jean Zénon André de Véron de Laborie, French Governor of Saint Lucia from 1784 to his death in 1789, for his efforts on behalf of the white residents to reinstate Laborie as a separate parish, and for the restauration of its church.

The village briefly had one other name, ‘La Patriote’, in 1796-7. This was during the turbulent months when the French Revolution reached the Caribbean sea. During that time former slaves/freedom fighters known as ‘nèg mawon’ - Maroons (or Brigands) - along with their French Republican allies, controlled much of Saint Lucia from secret hideouts around the island until the British finally crushed the rebellion and returned the island to slavery for another three decades.

As with many things, this period in time has been viewed very differently depending on the perspective. Some labelled that period "The Reign of Terror", and historian Rev. C. Jesse referred to the Brigands as “slaves, demagogues, virulent Republicans”. But historian and author Robert Devaux wrote: “I see the Brigand as a true freedom fighter –a guerrilla warrior- and I would like to convert the derogatory label “Brigand” into an honourable and proud word and, if possible, remove the stigma historians have attached to the ‘Nèg mawon’ of our story.”

Throughout the 1800’s and early 1900’s daily life in the district didn’t see great changes. Most people lived inland, ‘in the country’ on the land where they farmed, and came down into Laborie Village on the weekends for market day and church. The other main activity revolved around fishing. Many Laborians went abroad in search of education and/or work to destinations such as the UK, Panama, Cayenne and British Guiana, Canada or the United States. Roads were either non-existent or difficult so most travel and commerce to other communities or to the capital of Castries took place by boat.

As recently as then end of WWII, Laborie did not have electricity, nor pipe-borne water. In the 1950's, Morne Le Blanc in Laborie was the site of an American radar station, which necessitated creating better infrastructure, including a new road from Vieux Fort to Laborie and up the Morne. Today, Laborie is a modern village, where most have piped water and electricity; and many have cable TV and the Internet.