It is assumed that the area was inhabited before Spanish contact, as many latte stone sets have been found in the nearby area of Tiyan. However, during the Spanish-Chamorro Wars of the late seventeenth century, residents were forced into centralized areas as part of the Spanish policy of "Reducción". The area was then used for ranching and farming by residents of the centralized villages. Following the U.S. Capture of Guam in 1898, the Naval Government allowed the region to be settled permanently. During the Japanese occupation of Guam (1941-1945), local residents were forced to labor building the Japanese airfield at Tiyan, which would later become Naval Air Station Agana and Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport. After U.S. forces secured the southern island in the Battle of Guam in July 1944, remaining Japanese forces decided to make a stand at Mount Barrigada to delay the U.S. victory as much as possible. The resulting Battle of Barrigada on August 2 and 3 was the fiercest fighting of the latter part of the battle.