Hato Mayor del Rey was founded around the year 1520 by Francisco Dávila as land that was dedicated to cattle and agriculture. Francisco Dávila, in his position as
Treasurer and
Perpetual Royal Regidor in
Hispaniola, established the
Majorat of Dávila on 23 August 1554 in the city of
Santo Domingo, in the presence of his nephew Gaspar Dávila. The lands of Hato Mayor del Rey then formed a part of Dávila's majorat. Over time, Hato Mayor del Rey passed through the hands of several heirs and keepers. In 1746, Don Antonio Coca y Vevers Landeche, who was the perpetual manager of the
Majorat of Dávila, founded Hato Mayor del Rey as a village. The village included a
hermitage dedicated to
Our Lady of Mercy to encourage people living near the estate to practice
Catholicism. Until July 1843, Hato Mayor del Rey was part of the community of
El Seibo and the province of
El Seibo. After 1843, Hato Mayor del Rey became its own independent community by decree of the occupying Haitian forces under
Charles Rivière-Hérard. On 9 June 1845, Hato Mayor del Rey's independent community status was lost under law No. 40 of the Provincial Administration, reverting it to a military outpost of El Seibo. On 13 October 1848, Dominican President
Manuel Jiménes, proclaimed the community of Hato Mayor del Rey an independent town by Decree No. 174 of the Conservative Council and the Chamber of Tribunes. During the
Annexation, Hato Mayor del Rey was converted into a military base in charge of the protection of El Seibo. On 14 December 1888, Mrs.
María de las Mercedes de la Rocha y Landeche and her husband Esteban Fernández de Coca, before the presence of Ramón María Gautreaux, Secretary and Treasurer of the township, and Antonio Lluberes and Manuel Mañón, witnesses, donated 1,070,879.41 m2 to the City Council of Hato Mayor del Rey.
Hato Mayor del Rey park File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_12.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_2.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_4.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_Central.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_8.jpg File:Hato_Mayor_Del_Rey_Dominican_Republic_Parque_12.jpg ==Climate==