Mariënburg was
founded as sugar plantation in 1745 by Maria de la Jaille. After several owner
changes, the plantation became a coffee plantation in the 19th century. In 1882
the plantation, which had been abandoned, was purchased by theNetherlands
Trading Society(NHM). The
Society wanted to establish here a central sugarcane factory which had to
handle the surrounding plantations. For the supply of sugarcane was a
twelve-kilometer railway built, the first
