Altamira, Puerto Plata
Encyclopedia
Altamira is a town
in the Puerto Plata province
of the Dominican Republic
.
The town's name is the subject of at least two different origin traditions. One asserts that when Christopher Columbus
first arrived in the area, he took note of the height of the mountains and exclaimed: "Look at the heights." Another reports that the name is based on the geographical resemblance of the region to Spain's Altamira Caves.
On October 29, 1889, President Ulises Heureaux
declared the town a municipality. To this day, October 29th is celebrated in Altamira with municipal festivities.
At the time of the Devastations of Ozoria, the community helped maintain communication between the Valley of the Cibao
and Port Silver. It also served as a refuge and hideout for settlers who refused to abandon the region.
During the period of the Annexation
, Altamira became a part of the Province of Santiago by Law No. 40 of 1845. After the War of Restoration
brought national independence, Altamira's importance grew, as not just an area of strategic military importance, but also as a demographic and commercial center.
In the times of the Restoration, Altamira's initially dispersed shacks became more numerous. They were grouped in the shape of a village that held 60 to 75 families. The villagers cultivated short-cycle agricultural products and the bred of untamed stock. During the War of Restoration, commercial activities diminished, but shortly afterward they again flourished. At the time Altamira had a single street, the "Street of the Commerce," whose main businesses were clothing, shoes, groceries and household goods.
When Altamira was declared a municipality, its first communal leader was General Don José Hilario Francisco. His ally, Manuel "Manuelita" Peña served as chief of police. The town's first Catholic priest was Juan Albino. All three were sworn in by Puerto Plata's Provincial Governor, Pedro Pepín.
The street now known as San José was initially a road built in 1890 and called at the time the "Street of the Donkeys," because donkeys were the main draft animal of the time and were nearly ubiquitous there.
A railroad connection between Puerto Plata and Santiago opened in 1897. Its main station was located in Altamira's La Piedra section. According to local tradition, travel time between the two termini was two-and-a-half hours.
. It has a humid forest climate.
It is located at a latitude between 19.6 and 19.7 N and a longitude between 70.7 and 70.8 W. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Imbert
, on the south by Santiago Province, on the west by the municipalities of Guananico
and Hope
and on the east by the municipality San Felipe.
It has an approximate land area of 188,08 km. It is the Dominican Republic's fifth largest municipality in area and is divided into eight regions: Río Grande, Pescado Bobo, El Mamey, Palmar Grande, Los Llanos, Higüero, Quebrada Honda y Escalera.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Puerto Plata province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of 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...
.
The town's name is the subject of at least two different origin traditions. One asserts that when Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
first arrived in the area, he took note of the height of the mountains and exclaimed: "Look at the heights." Another reports that the name is based on the geographical resemblance of the region to Spain's Altamira Caves.
On October 29, 1889, President Ulises Heureaux
Ulises Heureaux
Ulises Heureaux Lebert was president of the Dominican Republic from 1 September 1882 to 1 September 1883, from 6 January to 27 February 1887 and again from 30 April 1889 until his assassination, maintaining power between his terms.-Early life:Heureaux, affectionately known as Lilís, was born in...
declared the town a municipality. To this day, October 29th is celebrated in Altamira with municipal festivities.
History
In its earliest days, Altamira functioned as a set of large agricultural ranches, populated by families transferred there from nearby conucos (small farms). For this reason, some still call Altamira's signature tobacco plantations the "Ranches of Puerto Plata."At the time of the Devastations of Ozoria, the community helped maintain communication between the Valley of the Cibao
Cibao
Cibao, usually referred as "El Cibao", is a region of the Dominican Republic located at the northern part of the country.The Taíno word Cibao, meaning "place where rocks abound", was originally applied to the central mountain range, and used during the Spanish conquest to refer to the rich and...
and Port Silver. It also served as a refuge and hideout for settlers who refused to abandon the region.
During the period of the Annexation
The Annexation of Santo Domingo
The Annexation of Santo Domingo was an attempt to annex “Santo Domingo” by an expansionist movement in 1870 during the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, for the United States of America to acquire the Dominican Republic as a U.S. territory and given eventual statehood. This movement was preceded by...
, Altamira became a part of the Province of Santiago by Law No. 40 of 1845. After the War of Restoration
Dominican Restoration War
The Dominican Restoration War was a guerrilla war between 1863 and 1865 in the Dominican Republic between nationalists and Spain, who had recolonized the country 17 years after its independence...
brought national independence, Altamira's importance grew, as not just an area of strategic military importance, but also as a demographic and commercial center.
In the times of the Restoration, Altamira's initially dispersed shacks became more numerous. They were grouped in the shape of a village that held 60 to 75 families. The villagers cultivated short-cycle agricultural products and the bred of untamed stock. During the War of Restoration, commercial activities diminished, but shortly afterward they again flourished. At the time Altamira had a single street, the "Street of the Commerce," whose main businesses were clothing, shoes, groceries and household goods.
When Altamira was declared a municipality, its first communal leader was General Don José Hilario Francisco. His ally, Manuel "Manuelita" Peña served as chief of police. The town's first Catholic priest was Juan Albino. All three were sworn in by Puerto Plata's Provincial Governor, Pedro Pepín.
The street now known as San José was initially a road built in 1890 and called at the time the "Street of the Donkeys," because donkeys were the main draft animal of the time and were nearly ubiquitous there.
A railroad connection between Puerto Plata and Santiago opened in 1897. Its main station was located in Altamira's La Piedra section. According to local tradition, travel time between the two termini was two-and-a-half hours.
Geography
Altamira is situated in the Cordillera Septentrional, 400 meters above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It has a humid forest climate.
It is located at a latitude between 19.6 and 19.7 N and a longitude between 70.7 and 70.8 W. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Imbert
Imbert
Imbert is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, on the south by Santiago Province, on the west by the municipalities of Guananico
Guananico
Guananico is a town in the Dominican Republic, situated in the Puerto Plata Province. It has an area of and a population of 7,361 of which 2,575 live in the urban part and 4,786 in the rural part...
and Hope
Hope
Hope is the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. It is the "feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best" or the act of "look[ing] forward to with desire and reasonable confidence" or...
and on the east by the municipality San Felipe.
It has an approximate land area of 188,08 km. It is the Dominican Republic's fifth largest municipality in area and is divided into eight regions: Río Grande, Pescado Bobo, El Mamey, Palmar Grande, Los Llanos, Higüero, Quebrada Honda y Escalera.
Climate
Rich culture
- Grupo Cultural Ugaca
- Palos y Atabales
- Velas Ofrecidas
- Canto Folklórico La Pepa
- Canto y Baile Folklórico El Machacó
- Fiestas Patronales
- Anniversario de Altamira
- Viacrusis de la Iglesia
- Club Hijos Y Amigos de Altamira N.Y.
Important zones
- Los Picos de Río Grande; Pilar y Angostura.
- El Pico Diego De Ocampo
- Loma de los Puntieles (Los Lirios y Guazaral)
- Alto de Bohío.
- Loma de la Prieta
- La Lomota
- Los Manantiales
- Loma el Gallo.
- Loma de Quinigua.
Recommended sites
- Balneario Natural Las Angostura (Río Grande Abajo)
- Balneario Montaña Verde (Quebrada Honda)
- Saltadero la Damajagua (Palmar Grande).
- Balneario Boca de Río Grande.(Palmar Grande)
- Charco la Piedra (Palmar Grande)
- Balneario Cuevas de las Aguas (Escalera)
- Balneario El Almacén (Río Grande)
- Balneario Charco de la Paila (El Almacén)
- Balneario Bellaco (Bajabonico Arriba).
- Balneario Agua Fresca (Quebrada Honda)
- Balneario La Bajaita (El Puente la Jagua)
- Balneario el charco de pilar (Rio grande abajo)