Barceloneta, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Barceloneta is a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and is located in the north region, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Florida
Florida, Puerto Rico
Florida is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Ciales, south of Barceloneta, east of Arecibo, and west of Manatí. Florida is spread over one ward and Florida Pueblo...
, east of Arecibo
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Arecibo is a municipality in the northern midwest coast of Puerto Rico and located by the Atlantic Ocean, north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta, and Florida. Arecibo is spread over 18 wards and Arecibo Pueblo...
and west of Manati
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Manatí is a municipality of Puerto Rico in the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 wards and Manatí Pueblo...
. Barceloneta is spread over 3 wards and Barceloneta Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Barceloneta was founded on July 1, 1881 by Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú, an immigrant from BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The name of Barceloneta is derived from the Spanish city. Barceloneta was one of the last municipalities created by the Spanish Government
Spanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
in Puerto Rico.
About a decade after its foundation, the town had a significant economic development led by agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and industry. By 1894, there were three sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
estates, 93 sugar mills, and 100 of other fruits.
In 1899, Barceloneta requested to be annexed to the town of Manatí
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Manatí is a municipality of Puerto Rico in the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 wards and Manatí Pueblo...
. An election was scheduled for August 14, 1989 to decide the matter. However, on August 8, the island suffered the effects of Hurricane San Ciriaco, which prevented the elections to be held. The following year, Governor George Whitefield Davis
George Whitefield Davis
George Whitefield Davis was an engineer and Major General in the United States Army. He also served as a military Governor of Puerto Rico and as the first military Governor of the Panama Canal Zone.-Civil War:...
ordered the annexation of Barceloneta with Manatí. The annexation was short-lived, though, because 11 years later, the government reinstated Barceloneta as a municipality.
After sugarcane mill Central Plazuela closed in 1963, Barceloneta started reinforcing its agricultural economy towards pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s and other minor fruits. Efforts to revive the economy weren't that successful, until pharmaceutical industries started establishing themselves in the town during the 70s
70s
-Significant people:* Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor * Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor...
.
Because of its location next to the Río Grande de Manatí
Río Grande de Manatí
-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
, Barceloneta was also known for many years a site of important port activity, for both the shipment of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and salt, as well as a passenger route to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. Don Bonocio's son was the owner of a sail ship that made those routes.
Geography
The Municipality of Barceloneta sits on the northern karstKARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
region of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It is bordered by the municipalities of Arecibo, Florida, and Manatí. In terms of physical features, the municipality occupies a roughly rectangular area in the northern coast of the island. It has a surface area of 36.4 square miles (94.24 km2).
Barceloneta's terrain is predominantly plain. Since it is located in the karst region, it features hills, ponor
Ponor
A ponor is a natural surface opening that may be found in landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is characterized by some kind of karst....
s, and caves. Near the coast, the terrain is occupied by the Tiburones cienaga.
Water features
The Río Grande de ManatíRío Grande de Manatí
-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
travels across the municipalities of Manatí and Barceloneta and drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Barceloneta also features the Caño Tiburones, the largest swamp on the island.
Barrios
- Barceloneta Pueblo
- Florida Afuera
- Garrochales
- Palmas Altas
Sectores
- Palenque
- Abra del Pimiento
- Angostura
- Tiburon I, II y III
- Magueyes
- Seboruco
- Catalana
- Cataluña
- Llanadas
- Fortuna
- Punta Palma
- La Boca
- Sabana Aguila
- Cimarrona
- Quebrada
- Imbery
Landmarks and places of interest
- Antiguo Muelle (Old Seaport)
- Cambalache Reserve
- Caño Tiburones Marshland
- La Monserrate Refinery Ruins
- Las Criollas Beach
- Marqués de la Esperanza Hacienda Ruins
- Palmas Altas Beach
- Sixto Escobar Museum
- Centro Cultural de Barceloneta:Located in the heart of the city, the museum provides the cultural and historical about Barceloneta. Also features a collection of Arqueological artifacts and Taino pieces. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-4pm.
Economy
Barceloneta has the biggest pharmaceutical complex in the world (14 industries). It is known that these companies have chosen Barceloneta to establish their facilities for its underground water reservoirs. The water in Barceloneta is so pure that it requires very little treatment for use in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products. Pentecostal churches are very well known in Barceloneta, As well as catholic and Mormon.The employments created by these companies along with a well-developed plan for urban growth have allowed Barceloneta to be more than simply a town where people go work. Puerto Rico Premium Outlets, conveniently placed near the expressway, have made the town into a favorite destination for shopping and consuming, and consequently a prime place for investment in food chains and entertainment. Increased employment opportunities have also caused an increase in population in Barceloneta and its surrounding municipalities. Barceloneta is looking at a future with tourism.
Barceloneta is also famous for its blue sand beaches, due to the high iron content found in the sand.
Government
Barceloneta is known for its political stability. Honorable mayor Sol Luis Fontanés has held the mayor's seat for the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) of Puerto Rico since 1992. Originally elected by only a narrow margin (49.2% vs. 48.6%), his popularity rose dramatically during his first quatrain. His administration has successfully turned Barceloneta into a fertile ground for investment and employment opportunities, as detailed in the Economy section above. Mayor Fontanés' popularity increased in 1996, a year in which his party suffered a major defeat. In the 2004 elections he directed one of the most successful mixed voting campaigns in the history of Barceloneta, winning with a margin of over 25 points over his opponents. The mixed voting campaign was even more successful in 2008, when the town electorate voted over 50% in favor of a governor from the New Progressive Party (PNP) while re-electing Fontanés with an absolute majority (69.4%). This makes him rank as one of the most popular mayors in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, along with mayors from towns like Caguas, Cayey and Guaynabo.Flag
The flag of Barceloneta is a variation of the flag of BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, from where the town borrows its name. It features four fields, two of them bearing the cross of Saint George
St George's Cross
St George's Cross is a red cross on a white background used as a symbolic reference to Saint George. The red cross on white was associated with St George from medieval times....
(in Catalan, Sant Jordi), with five red and yellow bars in vertical direction to the right of each cross. These are all symbols pertaining to the city of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, and the community of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, where it is located, since the town was founded by a Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
immigrant. The remaining two fields in the flag are blue, representing the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, which lies to the north of Barceloneta.
Coat of Arms
Barceloneta's coat of arms is similar to the flag, since it features the same CataloniaCatalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
n symbols. However, it features three sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
flowers ("guajanas") on top of the blue fields. The "guajanas" symbolize the source of life of the old agricultural economy
Economy of Puerto Rico
The Economy of Puerto Rico is one of the most diverse in the Caribbean region. Services and industrial production have surpassed agriculture as the primary focus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, United States firms have invested...
of Barceloneta. The blue symbolizes the beaches and marine ports that contributed to the industry and commerce of the town. Like many coat of arms, it features a crown with three towers.
Names
Barceloneta is referred to as La Ciudad de las Piñas (city of the pineapplePineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s) due to its plantations of that fruit. It is also known as La Ciudad Industrial (industrial city) for its many industries, most of them pharmaceutical.
Other names are Ciudad de los Indios (town of the Indians) and Pueblo de Sixto Escobar
Sixto Escobar
Sixto Escobar was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. Competing in the bantamweight division, he became Puerto Rico's first world champion....
(town of Sixto Escobar) for being the birthplace of the renowned Puerto Rican boxer.