Guayama

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Guayama, Puerto Rico
Nickname : La Ciudad del Guamaní
Plaza Colón de Guayama
Plaza Colón de Guayama
Seal of Guayama, Puerto Rico
seal 		Flag of Guayama, Puerto Rico
flag
Location in Puerto Rico
Guayama, Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico)
Guayama, Puerto Rico
Guayama, Puerto Rico
Basic data
Foundation : January 29, 1736
State : United States
Outside area : Puerto Rico
Coordinates : 17 ° 58 ′  N , 66 ° 7 ′  W Coordinates: 17 ° 58 ′  N , 66 ° 7 ′  W
Time zone : Atlantic Standard Time ( UTC − 4 )
Inhabitants :
-  Metropolitan Area :		 45,632 (status: 2010)
84,214 (status: 2010)
Population density : 271.6 inhabitants per km 2
Area : 277 km 2  (approx. 107 mi 2 ) of
which 168 km 2  (approx. 65 mi 2 ) are land
Height : 73 m
Postcodes : 00784, 00785
Area code : +1 787 and 939
GNIS ID : 1804509
Website : www.viveelencanto.com
Mayor : Eduardo Cintrón , PPD

Guayama , officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama (Spanish Municipio Autónomo de Guayama ), is a city in Puerto Rico with 45,632 inhabitants. It forms the center of the metropolitan region of the same name, which according to the 2010 US census had 84,214 inhabitants.

history

During the early phase of Spanish colonization, the region in which the city is located today was populated by Taíno Indians. Due to slavery, however, they were forced to relocate to the Lesser Antilles . The following decades were marked by attacks by Taino rebels, Caribs and pirates. The city was finally founded on January 29, 1736 as San Antonio de Padua de Guayama by the Spanish governor Matías de Abadía . Nevertheless, there are indications that natives already had a permanent settlement there in 1567. The name Guayama goes back to a chief who ruled the south-eastern region of the Caribbean island. The name means in the language of the indigenous people something like "large square" or "large plot" (Spanish: "Sitio Grande" ). Under Governor Don Tomás de Abadía , the settlement was then elevated to a "pueblo" and the local church, San Antonio de Padua, declared a parish.

As early as 1776, Guayama had over 200 houses, a church and a central square with a population of around 5,000 people. Construction of the parish church began in 1827 and lasted 40 years. In 1828 a major fire destroyed 57 houses in the city. Over time, some of the larger parts of the city were spun off. Patillas became independent in 1811. In 1831 Guayama consisted of the following districts: Algarrobos, Ancones, Arroyo , Carreras, Guayama Pueblo, Guamaní, Jobos, Machete and Yaurel. Arroyo was finally divided into a western and an eastern part in 1855.

The city continued to develop, a cemetery was built in 1844, a slaughterhouse and meat market followed in 1851. A two-story wooden theater was completed in 1878. At that time there were fourteen sugar plantations with steam-powered mills and three more with oxen. In addition, a lead mine operated by the company "La Estrella" was operated in the city and the mineral galena was also mined. In 1881 Guayama was elevated to a "villa".

Hacienda Azucarera Vives, Barrio Machete

During the Spanish-American War , American troops under the leadership of General Nelson A. Miles landed in Guánica near Ponce on July 25, 1898 , which surprised both the Spanish and American war ministries, as Miles had been commissioned to land near San Juan . The Americans only found out about the landing point chosen instead through a press release. Miles changed his mind, believing that a landing in San Juan would be susceptible to attack from small boats, and changed his plans en route to Puerto Rico. Ponce, allegedly the largest city in Puerto Rico at the time, was then connected to San Juan by a military road that was well defended by the Spanish. In order to flank this position, the American general John R. Brooke landed in Arroyo a little north of Guayama, in order to get from there to Cayey, which is northwest of Guayama . Brooke and his troops finally succeeded on August 5, 1898 after slight resistance to conquer Guayama.

After the end of the war, the city continued to develop. At the beginning of the 20th century, Guayama was considered the most important city in the Puerto Rican social fabric.

Guayama Convention Center

In the middle of the 20th century, the city experienced a great industrial boom, in particular through the Phillips Petroleum Company , which began in 1968 to manufacture paraffin , gasoline and other products.

At the same time, however, the decline of the agricultural sector began, favored by industrialization and housing construction. Nevertheless, in 1974, 12,655 tons of sugar were still produced. In November 2002, a power plant belonging to the energy supply company AES Puerto Rico went online. The 2012 Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York was dedicated to the city.

geography

Guayama is located in the southern coastal region on the Caribbean Sea , in the triangle between Cayey in the north, Salinas in the west and Patillas and Arroyo in the east. The highest point of the urban area is the Cerro de la Tabla with 863 meters above sea level. In 1987 a nature reserve was set up, which is mainly home to many birds.

City structure

The Casa Cautiño is an example of the urban architecture of the late 19th century

Guayama is divided into the following districts (Spanish barrios ). In brackets the population figures according to the US census:

  • Algarrobo (6,959)
  • Caimital (4,124)
  • Carite (1,210)
  • Carmen (619)
  • Guamaní (1,455)
  • Guayama Pueblo (16,891)
  • Jobos (8,286)
  • Machete (3,846)
  • Mosquito
  • Olimpo
  • Palmas (709)
  • Pozo Hondo (1,263)

economy

Industry

Several large pharmaceutical companies are based in Guayama, including Pfizer , Baxter , Eli Lilly , and Tapi. There is also a coal-fired power station in the city.

Demographics

The 2010 census revealed the following ethnic composition of the urban population:

  • Whiteness: 72.8% (33,025)
  • Blacks: 22.9% (10,367)
  • American Indian: 1.7% (769)
  • Asians: 0.2% (108)
  • Native Hawaiian: 0.1% (51)
  • Others: 8.3.% (3,746)

sons and daughters of the town

Festivals

  • Carnaval Brujo - March
  • Dulce Sueño Paso Fino Fair - March
  • San Antonio de Padua Patron Saint Festival ( Fiestas Patronales ) - June
  • San Antonio de Padua Bicycle Racing Classic - June
  • Jibaro Festival - October
  • Semana Puertorriqueña - December
  • Guayama Iluminada, Navidad Encantada - December to January

Web links