San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
San Sebastián is a municipality
of Puerto Rico
located northwest of the island south of Isabela
and Quebradillas
; north of Las Marías
; east of Moca
and Añasco
; and west of Lares
. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is a principal city of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
At the beginning of the 19th century, wealthy families arrived in Pepino, fleeing the revolutions of Venezuela
and the Dominican Republic
. Later, by 1850, several families from Catalonia
and the Basque Country in Spain
joined the large number of isleños (Canary Islanders) that had made El Pepino their home. These people, after taking over the local political power, developed a coffee industry and brought some material progress to the town. The resident Basques in the municipality, in remembrance of their home region and its religious patron, saw the need of upgrading the old traditional Pepino used by the Canary Islanders to the new and "up-dated" San Sebastián, promoted and thus got the name formally changed by the central government authority. Nevertheless, the citizens of San Sebastián are called "pepinianos".
San Sebastián Mártir (Spanish for Saint Sebastian the Martyr
) is the patron saint
of archers
and was chosen to be the patron saint of the town since its early history, first brought by the immigrants from the Canaries and later confirmed by the Basques, with the town name changed in 1869.
The Crown: Is the heraldic standard used to identify towns, villas and cities. The Sugar Cane and Coffee Branches: They represent main agricultural products.
team, the Caribes de San Sebastián, under the auspices of the Upper Women's Volleyball League. In amateur baseball or baseball AA, the city is represented by the Patrulleros de San Sebastian, who play at the Estadio Juan Jose "Titi" Beniquez Stadium.
Municipalities of Puerto Rico
The Municipalities of Puerto Rico number 78 and they make up the smallest electoral division of the Commonwealth. Each municipality is divided into barrios, though the latter are not vested with political authority.-Administrative divisions:...
of 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...
located northwest of the island south of Isabela
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
and Quebradillas
Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
Quebradillas is a municipality of the island of Puerto Rico, located in the north-western shore bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of San Sebastián; east of Isabela; and west of Camuy. Quebradillas is spread over swven wards and Quebradillas Pueblo...
; north of Las Marías
Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Las Marías is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Maricao; southeast of Añasco; south of San Sebastián; east of Mayagüez; and west of Lares...
; east of Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
and Añasco
Añasco, Puerto Rico
Añasco , named after one of its settlers, Don Luis de Añasco, is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the west coast of the island bordering the Mona Passage to the west, north of Mayagüez, and Las Marias; south of Rincón, Aguada, and Moca and west of San Sebastián and Las Marias...
; and west of Lares
Lares, Puerto Rico
Lares is a small mountain municipality of Puerto Rico's central-western area located north of Maricao and Yauco; south of Camuy, east of San Sebastián and Las Marias; and west of Hatillo, Utuado and Adjuntas. Lares is spread over 10 wards and Lares Pueblo...
. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is a principal city of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The permission to found the town was officially given in 1752, under the leadship of the founder, Captain Cristóbal González de la Cruz, who among other neighbors had an interest in converting some cow farms into an agricultural village. The foundation of the town from the religious aspect, was consummated in December of 1762 by Mariano Martin, the island catholic bishop at that time. At the beginning, by 1700, San Sebastian was a conglomerate of a few cow farms, owned by some residents of the Partido de Aguada. Las Vegas was the former plain site of one of the first cow farms located by the Guatemala riverside at the north. Also, another of those cow farms was Pepinito (today's downtown) that was a low green mountain with a white calcium carbonate face. On the north side of the town it can be seen some of this "pepinos" (cucumbers). These two cow farms gave the town its first name. From these geographical accidents come the first names of the new village: Las Vegas del Pepino (Cucumber Fields). In 1865 it is documented as San Sebastián de Las Vegas del Pepino.At the beginning of the 19th century, wealthy families arrived in Pepino, fleeing the revolutions of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Later, by 1850, several families from 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...
and the Basque Country 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...
joined the large number of isleños (Canary Islanders) that had made El Pepino their home. These people, after taking over the local political power, developed a coffee industry and brought some material progress to the town. The resident Basques in the municipality, in remembrance of their home region and its religious patron, saw the need of upgrading the old traditional Pepino used by the Canary Islanders to the new and "up-dated" San Sebastián, promoted and thus got the name formally changed by the central government authority. Nevertheless, the citizens of San Sebastián are called "pepinianos".
San Sebastián Mártir (Spanish for Saint Sebastian the Martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
) is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of archers
Archers
Archers may refer to:*People who practice archery*The Royal Company of Archers, a Scottish ceremonial unit*The Archers, long running BBC Radio 4 soap opera*"The Archers", nickname for British film-making partnership of Powell and Pressburger...
and was chosen to be the patron saint of the town since its early history, first brought by the immigrants from the Canaries and later confirmed by the Basques, with the town name changed in 1869.
Flag
It consists of a rectangular flag of the usual proportions, crossed by a white waved band that separates its red superior part from the inferior one, which is green.Coat of Arms
The Mountains: With silver-plated borders, represent the characteristic mountains under which the vegetable namesake of the town grow (Pepinos)The Crown: Is the heraldic standard used to identify towns, villas and cities. The Sugar Cane and Coffee Branches: They represent main agricultural products.
Barrios (Districts/Wards)
- Altozano
- Aibonito
- Bahomamey
- Calabazas
- Cibao
- Cidral
- Culebrinas
- Eneas
- Guacio
- Guajataca
- Guatemala
- Hato Arriba
- Hoya Mala
- Juncal
- Magos
- Mirabales
- Perchas I
- Perchas II
- Piedras Blancas
- Pozas
- Robles
- Saltos
- Saltos II
- San Sebastián Pueblo
- Sonador
Geography
- Guajataca LakeGuajataca LakeLago Guajataca is a reservoir located between the municipalities of San Sebastián, Quebradillas, and Isabela in Puerto Rico. This man-made lake was created in 1929....
- Río Grande de AñascoRio Grande de AñascoThe Rio Grande de Añasco is a river in western Puerto Rico. Its source is in the Cordillera Central mountain range west of Adjuntas, and it flows about 40 miles westwards to its mouth on the Mona Passage north of Mayagüez.-References:*Añasco River. The Columbia Gazetteer of North America...
- Río Culebrinas
- Río Guajataca
Sports
San Sebastián holds the Luis Aymat Cardona Coliseum, ground for the professional volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team, the Caribes de San Sebastián, under the auspices of the Upper Women's Volleyball League. In amateur baseball or baseball AA, the city is represented by the Patrulleros de San Sebastian, who play at the Estadio Juan Jose "Titi" Beniquez Stadium.
Landmarks and places of interest
- Doña Bisa Cabrero House - Facing the Public Square
- Guajataca LakeGuajataca LakeLago Guajataca is a reservoir located between the municipalities of San Sebastián, Quebradillas, and Isabela in Puerto Rico. This man-made lake was created in 1929....
- Luis Aymat Cardona Coliseum
- Market Plaza
- Church San Sebastian Martir of San SebastianChurch San Sebastian Martir of San SebastianChurch San Sebastián Mártir of San Sebastián in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico dates from 1897. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984....
- Robles Waterfall
- Collazo Waterfall
- Sombrero Hill
- Hacienda El Jibarito
- Juan Jose "Titi" Beniquez Stadium
- Cancha Luis Muñoz Marin
- Guajataca Scout Reservation
Festivals and events
- Patronal Religious Fiesta - January
- Three Kings Festival - January
- Heifer Festival (Festival de la Novilla) - January
- Chess Tournament - January
- Ateneo Pepiniano Cultural Festival - January
- Hammock Festival - July
- Comeback to the Mountaintop - September
List of people from San Sebastián
- Luis V. GutiérrezLuis GutiérrezLuis Vicente Gutiérrez is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. Gutiérrez was the first Latino to be elected to Congress from the Midwest. From 1986 until his election to Congress he served as a member of the Chicago City Council representing the 26th ward...
, first LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
to be elected to CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from the MidwestMidwestern United StatesThe Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
.
- Nathan LebronNathan LebronNathan Lebron is the first Hispanic to run for Mayor in the City of Albany and is one of the few Hispanics to have run in a mayoral general election in New York State.-Early life:...
, first LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
to run for mayor of Albany, NYAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.