In 1896, this part of the country was made a province, including some coastal towns that are now part of the María Trinidad Sánchez province. With the creation of this last province in 1959, the Duarte province lost all coastal areas and became a landlocked province (surrounded by other provinces by all sides). At this time, the municipalities of the Duarte province were San Francisco de Macorís, Castillo, Pimentel and Villa Riva, with Hostos as a municipal district.