Cataño, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Cataño is a municipality (municipio
) located on northern coast of Puerto Rico
bordering the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent to the north and east by San Juan
; north of Bayamón
and Guaynabo
; east of Toa Baja
and west of Guaynabo
and is part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Cataño is spread over 7 wards and Cataño Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
during Francisco Bahamonde de Lugo's tenure as Governor of Puerto Rico
(1564–1568). He was one of the first physicians that arrived at Puerto Rico
during its colonization and, upon accepting his position, received as payment a piece of land across the San Juan
islet. From that time, the region started to be recognized by the name of its original owner. As people started establishing in the area, Cataño was declared as a barrio
of Bayamón
. However, there wasn't much success in the town's development during this years due to its swamp
-like terrain. Still, around 1690, a hermitage was established to allow residents to receive religious services without having to travel to Bayamón.
In the middle of the 19th century, a transport company was founded to facilitate the transportation of merchandise and passengers through the San Juan Bay. This spurted a growth in the population of Cataño, transforming it into one of the most prosperous barrios of Bayamón. Still, attempts to separate themselves from Bayamón on 1839 were unsuccessful. On June 26, 1893, Bishop Antonio Puig y Montserrat separated the barrios of Cataño, Palo Seco, and Palmas from Bayamón's parish and established an independent parish for the residents of these sectors. In 1927, Cataño was officially declared a municipality with the name "Hato de Palmas de Cataño", which was simply shortened to Cataño.
Politics also played a crucial part in the foundation of the town, since Bayamón was controlled by an administration with opposing ideologies to those of the island's Legislature
. The separation of Cataño from Bayamón was a strategy to weaken that opposition.
With only five square miles of territory (12.5 km2), Cataño is the smallest municipality in Puerto Rico. It is less than half the size of Hormigueros
, the next-smallest in area.
The green color represents the palm trees that are also present in the coat of arms
. The flag was officially adopted during José Alvarez Brunet tenure as mayor on September 5, 1974.
to whom the town owes its name. The color silver represents nobility and the color blue was used by hidalgo
s on their armories. It symbolizes royalty and serenity.
On top of the coat of arms, there's a crown with three towers distinct of others coat of arms. The coat itself is surrounded by two green palm trees, an allusion to one of the original names of the town: Hato de las Palmas de Cataño.
of the Capital) because of its location across the bay from the capital of Puerto Rico
, the city of San Juan
.
. Its northern shore falls on the San Juan
Bay of the Atlantic Ocean.
or "Tablado" that commands a view of the San Juan Bay, including views of Fort San Felipe del Morro
on the opposing side. There are several monuments and sculptures along the boardwalk, including a monument to taíno culture called "India Taína".
The Bacardi Distillery
also offers tours of its facilities to visitors that want to see and learn about the rum manufacturing industry in the island and the Caribbean
.
and acquired a huge statue of Christopher Columbus
called "Birth of the New World". The statue Columbus by Tsereteli was designed by artist Zurab Tsereteli
and would measure 350 feet (106.7 m) when erected. Tsereteli had offered the statue to the United States as a gift in 1992 with the intention to use it for the celebrations of the 500th year of its voyage. However, the United States rejected it.
The transportation of the statue from Russia
to Cataño cost $2.4 million. After arriving at the island, the 2,700 bronze pieces of the statue were scattered in a terrain awaiting for funds for the project, but Rivera Sierra was unable to garner enough public support and funding for it. Allegedly, there's an agreement to erect the statue in the city of Mayagüez
instead, for the celebration of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
.
Stadium, the Pedro Rodríguez Gaya Boxing Colisseum, and the Cosme Beitía Salamo Colisseum.
, one of the largest rum
manufacturers of the world, has a distillery in Cataño.
Other industries established in the town are refineries, commerce companies, transport and logistics, among others.
. The population, according to the 2000 census, was 30,071 with a population density of 6,014.2 people per square mile (2,313.1/km²). Although the current population is almost the double of what it was in the 1950 census, the current census reflects a small decrease of inhabitants.
As a whole, Puerto Rico is populated mainly by people from a Mulatto
(Of African and European descent) and European descent, with small groups of African and Asian people
. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 66.9% of Catañenses have Spanish or White
origin, 8.6% are black
, 0.8% are Amerindian etc.
In 1987, Edwin Rivera Sierra was elected as Mayor of Cataño. He remained in the position for 16 years, quitting in 2003. He was replaced by Wilson Soto, who was then officially elected at the 2004 elections in Puerto Rico. After losing a reelection bid in 2008 against José Rosario, Soto was indicted on nine charges.
.
Puerto Rico Highway 22
provides access to Cataño from San Juan
or from other adjacent towns. Like most other towns in the island, it has a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town.
Municipio
Municipio and Município are terms used for country subdivisions. They are often translated as municipality.-Overview:...
) located on northern coast 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...
bordering the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent to the north and east by San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
; north of Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
and Guaynabo
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan...
; east of Toa Baja
Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Toa Baja is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over 5 wards and Toa Baja Pueblo . It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.Toa Baja considered to be a...
and west of Guaynabo
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan...
and is part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Cataño is spread over 7 wards and Cataño Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Hernando de Cataño was chosen to offer his medical services in Puerto RicoPuerto 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...
during Francisco Bahamonde de Lugo's tenure as Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
(1564–1568). He was one of the first physicians that arrived at 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...
during its colonization and, upon accepting his position, received as payment a piece of land across the San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
islet. From that time, the region started to be recognized by the name of its original owner. As people started establishing in the area, Cataño was declared as a barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
. However, there wasn't much success in the town's development during this years due to its swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
-like terrain. Still, around 1690, a hermitage was established to allow residents to receive religious services without having to travel to Bayamón.
In the middle of the 19th century, a transport company was founded to facilitate the transportation of merchandise and passengers through the San Juan Bay. This spurted a growth in the population of Cataño, transforming it into one of the most prosperous barrios of Bayamón. Still, attempts to separate themselves from Bayamón on 1839 were unsuccessful. On June 26, 1893, Bishop Antonio Puig y Montserrat separated the barrios of Cataño, Palo Seco, and Palmas from Bayamón's parish and established an independent parish for the residents of these sectors. In 1927, Cataño was officially declared a municipality with the name "Hato de Palmas de Cataño", which was simply shortened to Cataño.
Politics also played a crucial part in the foundation of the town, since Bayamón was controlled by an administration with opposing ideologies to those of the island's Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The separation of Cataño from Bayamón was a strategy to weaken that opposition.
With only five square miles of territory (12.5 km2), Cataño is the smallest municipality in Puerto Rico. It is less than half the size of Hormigueros
Hormigueros, Puerto Rico
Hormigueros is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 wards and Hormigueros Pueblo...
, the next-smallest in area.
Flag
The flag consists of nine horizontal stripes: four blue stripes and five white stripes (substituting for the silver color on the coat of arms). A white and green band traverses diagonally the drape in all its extension, from the upper hoist to the lower fly.The green color represents the palm trees that are also present in the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. The flag was officially adopted during José Alvarez Brunet tenure as mayor on September 5, 1974.
Coat of Arms
The Coat Of Arms of Cataño consists of the same nine horizontal stripes of same the width: four blue and five silver. The colors of the coat and the flag represent the coat of arms of the family of Don Hernando de Cataño, an HidalgoHidalgo (Spanish nobility)
A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
to whom the town owes its name. The color silver represents nobility and the color blue was used by hidalgo
Hidalgo (Spanish nobility)
A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
s on their armories. It symbolizes royalty and serenity.
On top of the coat of arms, there's a crown with three towers distinct of others coat of arms. The coat itself is surrounded by two green palm trees, an allusion to one of the original names of the town: Hato de las Palmas de Cataño.
Name
Aside of its name, derived from its original owner, Cataño has several nicknames. The city is known as "La Antesala de la Capital" (the FoyerFoyer
A foyer or lobby is a large, vast room or complex of rooms adjacent to the auditorium...
of the Capital) because of its location across the bay from the capital 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...
, the city of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
Geography
Cataño consists mostly of flat plains that belong to the Northern region of Puerto RicoPuerto 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...
. Its northern shore falls on the San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
Bay of the Atlantic Ocean.
Barrios
The town of Cataño is divided itself into several barrios or districts:- Cataño Pueblo
- Residencial Rosendo Matienzo Cintron
- Palmas (sectors)
- Urb. Las Vegas
- Urb. Marina Bahia
- Urb. Vista del Morro
- Barrio Cucharillas
- Barrio Juana Matos
- Barrio Puente Blanco
- Bay View
- Bahia
- Urb. El Coqui 2
- Barrio La Puntilla
- Barrio EL Coqui 1
Culture
Tourism
One of the main tourist attractions in Cataño is the boardwalkBoardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
or "Tablado" that commands a view of the San Juan Bay, including views of Fort San Felipe del Morro
Fort San Felipe del Morro
Also known as Fort San Felipe del Morro or Morro Castle, is a 16th-century citadel located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.- Rundown :Lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico...
on the opposing side. There are several monuments and sculptures along the boardwalk, including a monument to taíno culture called "India Taína".
The Bacardi Distillery
Bacardi
Bacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
also offers tours of its facilities to visitors that want to see and learn about the rum manufacturing industry in the island and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Christopher Columbus statue
The town gained notoriety in 1998, when Mayor Edwin Rivera Sierra traveled to RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and acquired a huge statue of 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...
called "Birth of the New World". The statue Columbus by Tsereteli was designed by artist Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Konstantines dze Tsereteli is a Georgian-Russian painter, sculptor and architect who holds the office of President of the Russian Academy of Arts.- Life :...
and would measure 350 feet (106.7 m) when erected. Tsereteli had offered the statue to the United States as a gift in 1992 with the intention to use it for the celebrations of the 500th year of its voyage. However, the United States rejected it.
The transportation of the statue from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Cataño cost $2.4 million. After arriving at the island, the 2,700 bronze pieces of the statue were scattered in a terrain awaiting for funds for the project, but Rivera Sierra was unable to garner enough public support and funding for it. Allegedly, there's an agreement to erect the statue in the city 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"...
instead, for the celebration of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 21st Central American and Caribbean Games took place in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 18, 2010 to August 1, 2010.-Bid:...
.
Sports
Although Cataño hosts all professional sports team, there are several important sports facilities located in the town, including the Perucho CepedaOrlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
Stadium, the Pedro Rodríguez Gaya Boxing Colisseum, and the Cosme Beitía Salamo Colisseum.
Economy
Due to its location, Cataño has always played an important role as a port to the island. Fishing has also been a main source of economy for centuries. BacardiBacardi
Bacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
, one of the largest rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
manufacturers of the world, has a distillery in Cataño.
Other industries established in the town are refineries, commerce companies, transport and logistics, among others.
Demographics
Despite its small size, Cataño has a large population when compared to municipalities of similar areas. This is perhaps due to its location near the capital of San JuanSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. The population, according to the 2000 census, was 30,071 with a population density of 6,014.2 people per square mile (2,313.1/km²). Although the current population is almost the double of what it was in the 1950 census, the current census reflects a small decrease of inhabitants.
As a whole, Puerto Rico is populated mainly by people from a Mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
(Of African and European descent) and European descent, with small groups of African and Asian people
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 66.9% of Catañenses have Spanish or White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
origin, 8.6% are black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, 0.8% are Amerindian etc.
| Race - Cataño, Puerto Rico - 2000 Census | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Population | % of Total |
| White White people White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin... |
20,427 | 67.9% |
| Black/African American | 2,279 | 7.6% |
| American Indian Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... and Alaska Native |
226 | 0.8% |
| Asian Asian people Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :... |
58 | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Pacific Islander Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:... |
7 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1,839 | 6.1% |
| Two or more races | 5,235 | 17.4% |
Government
After its initial establishment, Cataño belonged to the Bayamón region. From 1839 to 1845, there were some attempts to separate the barrio from Bayamón, but these were unsuccessful. However, on late 19th century, Bishop Antonio Puig y Montserrat managed to separate Cataño establishing their own parish. Cataño was finally declared a municipality on April 25, 1927 being its first mayor Alberto Dávila.In 1987, Edwin Rivera Sierra was elected as Mayor of Cataño. He remained in the position for 16 years, quitting in 2003. He was replaced by Wilson Soto, who was then officially elected at the 2004 elections in Puerto Rico. After losing a reelection bid in 2008 against José Rosario, Soto was indicted on nine charges.
Education
Cataño counts with several public and private schools distributed through several regions. Public education is handled by the Puerto Rico Department of EducationPuerto Rico Department of Education
The Puerto Rico Department of Education is the department of Puerto Rico's government which manages state-operated schools in the United States commonwealth. The department is the equivalent of a state department of education and only one of two composed of a single school district...
.
Transportation
Cataño's ferry service is known as La Lancha de Cataño, or the Ferry of Cataño. Despite what the name may suggest, there are actually a number of ferries, not just one, that operate on the five-minute harbor route between Cataño and old San Juan and vice versa daily. There is a large ferry terminal at Cataño, and tourists can enjoy the view of the Castillo del Morro and the large cruise ships docked at the old San Juan terminal during this journey.Puerto Rico Highway 22
Puerto Rico Highway 22
PR-22 is a 51-mile long toll road in the north coast of Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Hatillo. The road is also known as the José de Diego Expressway , and is part of unsigned Interstate PR-2...
provides access to Cataño from San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
or from other adjacent towns. Like most other towns in the island, it has a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town.