DEBARQ'S PROSPERITY WAS DUE TO ITS LOCATION ON THE GONDAR-MASSAWA TRADE ROUTE; IT IS ONE OF THE STATIONS ON A ROUTE OF THE 1840S, ACCORDING TO A LIST COMPILED BY ANTOINE THOMSON D'ABBADIE IN HIS GEODESIE D'ETHIOPIE. RICHARD PANKHURST NOTESS THAT BY THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY ITS MARKET WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE ONE OF SIX IN ETHIOPIA REQUIRING A NAGADRAS ("HEAD OF THE MARKET") TO OVERSEE IT AND COLLECT THE FEES. THE REVENUE FROM TAXES LEVIED ON THE MARKETPLACE IN THE 1830S PAID THE GOVERNOR OF SEMIEN PROVINCE 3,000 MARIA THERESA THALERS AND ABOUT AS MUCH TO THE NAGADRAS.
DURING A CLASH WITH HIS REBELLIOUS NEPHEWS, EMPEROR TEWODROS SAW HIS CLOSE FRIEND AND ADVISOR JOHN BELL KILLED IN BATTLE HERE IN 1860. ALTHOUGH HIS NEPHEWS WERE KILLED IN THE SKIRMISH, AND THEIR 1700 FOLLOWERS IMMEDIATELY SURRENDERED, HE EXTRACTED VENGEANCE THE NEXT DAY BY BEHEADING ALL OF THEIR MEN.
THE TIGRAYAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT LAUNCHED AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE 603RD ARMY CORP OF THE DERG, AND AFTER DESTROYING THE GOVERNMENT FORCES STATIONED AT DEBARQ, THEY CONTROLLED THE TOWN 3 JANUARY 1989
