Calle de la Candelaria is the parallel street aside the Calle Méndez Vigo in the western 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...

 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...

 of Mayagüez

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...

. It has a length of about 1.20 miles. The street is oriented west-east with traffic running one-way eastbound. At its start at Parque del Litoral

Parque del Litoral

Parque Litoral Israel "Shorty" Castro is a park located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It is commonly named "Parque del Litoral".-Features:...

begins running with one lane in west section, changing to two lanes in the middle section and finally one lane again after the road passes Mayagüez Main U.S. Post Office in downtown Mayagüez.

In this street are located some of the most important historical places as: Edificio de la Aduana

U.S. Custom House (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico)

The U.S. Customs House or "Edificio Aduana" is a historic custom house building located at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. As of February 10, 1988, the building was owned by the U.S. Customs Service, Washington, D.C.-History:...

, Fundición Simón Carlo, Parque Suau, Correo Central de Mayagüez, Escuela David Farragut

David Farragut

David Glasgow Farragut was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, usually paraphrased: "Damn the...

, Teatro Yagüez

Teatro Yagüez

The Teatro Yagüez in Puerto Rico is a historic building that today is a performing arts theater. It is located at Candelaria and Dr. Basora Streets, in the city of Mayagüez. It consists of the Lucy Boscana Hall and the Roberto Cole Cafe Theater.-History:It was originally erected by Francisco...

, Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos

Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos

The Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos is a cultural center located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.Located in the heart of the city, aside the City Hall and the Teatro Yagüez, extending between Candelaria Street at front to the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Street at back.-Architecture:The Cultural Center...

, Alcaldía de Mayagüez

Mayagüez City Hall

The Casa Consistorial De Mayaguez or as it is more commonly known Alcaldia de Mayagüez is the City Hall for the Municipality of Mayagüez. It is located in front of the Colón Main Square facing the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Cathedral.-History:...

, Plaza Colón

Plaza Colón

Plaza Colón is the main plaza in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón...

and Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

Cathedral of Mayagüez

Our Lady of the Candelaria Cathedral or Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria is the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mayagüez located in the eastern end of the Colón Main Square facing the town hall in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.-History:...

.

History of the name

The street is named after Virgin of Candelaria

Virgin of Candelaria

The cult of the Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candelaria , popularly called La Morenita, celebrates an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands . The center of worship is located in the city of Candelaria in Tenerife. She is depicted as a Black Madonna...

, honored as saint patron of Mayagüez. Its name was changed after the American occupation of Mayaguez during the Puerto Rican Campaign

Puerto Rican Campaign

The Puerto Rican Campaign was an American military sea and land operation on the island of Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War. The offensive began on May 12, 1898, when the United States Navy attacked the archipelago’s capital, San Juan. Though the damage inflicted on the city was minimal,...

 of the Spanish–American War, when was renamed McKinley Street

William McKinley

William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...

 in honor of the U.S. President who governed during the invasion of Puerto Rico.

In recent years after renaming the former Post Street

Calle Post (Mayagüez)

Former name of two urban roads in Mayagüez City:* Avenida Alfonso Valdés Cobián - north of Yagüez River* Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances - south of Yagüez River-History:...

 as Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances

Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances

Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances is the most long urban road in Mayagüez, serving as the Main Street of Mayagüez City...

, the Municipality of Mayaguez ordinanced giving back to McKinley Street its original Spanish-era name of Candelaria.