Peñuelas, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Peñuelas is a municipality
in Puerto Rico
located in the southern coast of the island, south of Adjuntas
, east of Guayanilla
, west of Ponce
and north of the Caribbean Sea
. Peñuelas is spread over 12 wards and Peñuelas Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area. Peñuelas is known as "La Capital del Güiro" (The Güiro Capital) and "El Valle de los Flamboyanes" (The Valley of the Flamboyant Trees). Penuelas has about 20,000 inhabitants.
Peñuelas Township was founded August 25, 1793 by Diego de Alvarado. For 1874, the town had been developed and already had 9.206 inhabitants, according to a census of that year. The town already had four main roads, some streets, a brick church and the town hall, which also served as a prison, barracks and even cemetery and carnage.
On March 1, 1902 the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico approved a law to consolidate certain municipal districts so Peñuelas neighborhoods were attached to the town of Ponce. In 1905, the same Assembly repealed the law and was again the municipality.
The first incident of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s
occurred during the early hours of October 29, 1950, in Peñuelas, when the insular police of that town surrounded the house of the mother of Melitón Muñiz Santos, the president of the Peñuelas Nationalist Party in the bario Macaná, under the pretext that he was storing weapons for the Nationalist Revolt. Without warning, the police fired upon the Nationalists in the house and a firefight between both factions ensued, which resulted on the death of two Nationalists and the wounding of six police officers. Nationalists Meliton Muñoz Santos, Roberto Jaume Rodriguez, Estanislao Lugo Santiago, Marcelino Turell, William Gutirrez and Marcelino Berrios were arrested and accused of participating in an ambush against the local insular police.
Also known as Luis "Tite" Arroyo's hometown, a baseball hero.
Another hometown hero is Ivelisse Echevarria, who was inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003 and is considered by many to be the greatest softball pitcher born in Puerto Rico.Myrian "Betty" Segarra, who was inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003 and the best first base in the woman softball in Puerto Rico.
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:...
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...
located in the southern coast of the island, south of Adjuntas
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
Adjuntas is a small mountainside municipality in Puerto Rico located central midwest of the island on the Central Mountain range , north of Yauco, Guayanilla and Peñuelas; southeast of Utuado; east of Lares and Yauco; and west of Ponce. Adjuntas is spread over 16 wards and Adjuntas Pueblo...
, east of Guayanilla
Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Guayanilla is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about 12 miles west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 wards and Guayanilla Pueblo...
, west of Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
and north of the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Peñuelas is spread over 12 wards and Peñuelas Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area. Peñuelas is known as "La Capital del Güiro" (The Güiro Capital) and "El Valle de los Flamboyanes" (The Valley of the Flamboyant Trees). Penuelas has about 20,000 inhabitants.
History
In 1754, a group of workers had settled over the bay of Tallaboa. Later gradually retreated deeper into the valley, heading towards the most fertile land which would then be part of the town of Peñuelas. For the year 1788, approximately 80 families inhabiting the valley, which focused mainly on agriculture and livestock.Peñuelas Township was founded August 25, 1793 by Diego de Alvarado. For 1874, the town had been developed and already had 9.206 inhabitants, according to a census of that year. The town already had four main roads, some streets, a brick church and the town hall, which also served as a prison, barracks and even cemetery and carnage.
On March 1, 1902 the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico approved a law to consolidate certain municipal districts so Peñuelas neighborhoods were attached to the town of Ponce. In 1905, the same Assembly repealed the law and was again the municipality.
The first incident of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s
Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s
The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Revolts of the 1950s was a call for independence and uprising by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party against United States Government rule of Puerto Rico and against the approval of the creation of the political status "Free Associated State" for Puerto Rico which...
occurred during the early hours of October 29, 1950, in Peñuelas, when the insular police of that town surrounded the house of the mother of Melitón Muñiz Santos, the president of the Peñuelas Nationalist Party in the bario Macaná, under the pretext that he was storing weapons for the Nationalist Revolt. Without warning, the police fired upon the Nationalists in the house and a firefight between both factions ensued, which resulted on the death of two Nationalists and the wounding of six police officers. Nationalists Meliton Muñoz Santos, Roberto Jaume Rodriguez, Estanislao Lugo Santiago, Marcelino Turell, William Gutirrez and Marcelino Berrios were arrested and accused of participating in an ambush against the local insular police.
Flag
It has a rectangular bottom in canary yellow and stands for the sun, symbol of the physical life. In the center it has a purple or violet cross: symbol of Christianity and its ecclesiastical order; it represents the spiritual life. The cross purple extends to all the points of the yellow rectangle.Coat of Arms
The adornment above the shield, a stone wall, represents the perpetuity. The cross represents Santo Cristo de la Salud that stopped the sea that flooded Peñuelas. The purple arm represents the priesthood and the town of Peñuelas. The canary yellow represents the sun. The blue and white symbolize the choppy sea and the regal ensign represents the faith in Christianity, "In God We Trust".Barrios (Districts/Wards)
- Barreal
- Coto
- Cuevas
- Encarnación
- Jaguas
- Macaná
- Penuelas Pueblo
- Quebrada Ceiba
- Rucio
- Santo Domingo
- Tallaboa Alta
- Tallaboa Poniente
- Tallaboa Saliente
- Caracoles 1
- Caracoles 2
- Caracoles 3
- Belleza
- Alturas 1
- Alturas 2
Communities
- Santo DomingoSanto Domingo, Puerto RicoSanto Domingo is a commune of Peñuelas, Puerto Rico.-Community facts:As of 2000, Santo Domingo had a total population of 3,633 inhabitants living in a land area of .-References:...
- (Santo Domingo) - Tallaboa AltaTallaboa Alta-Community facts:As of 2000, Tallaboa Alta had a total population of 2,243 inhabitants living in a land area of ....
- (Tallaboa Alta) / (Quebrada Ceiba) - TallaboaTallaboa-Community facts:As of 2000, Tallaboa had a total population of 1,150 inhabitants living in a land area of ....
- (Encarnación)
Geo/Topography
Rivers near Peñuelas include:- Río GuayanésRío Guayanés-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
- Río MacanáRío Macaná-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
- Río TallaboaRío Tallaboa-See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
Prominent "Peñolanos"
- Alfonso Santiago - Head of History at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
- Lorenzo A. Balazquide - writer.
- Francisco Martinez - distinguished leader of the Popular Democratic Party in Peñuelas.
- Silvio Echevarría Rodríguez - writer, journalist, and labor leader.
- Manuel Diaz Rodriguez - educator, writer and independence activist
- Raquel Chalice - Amada Elementary School teacher Tallaboa.
- Germain Martinez-Ortiz - Chemical's petrochemical CORCO in 1970.
- Candelario Miguel Angel Arce - House Representative (1949–1956), delegate to the Constituent Assembly (1948–1952), Mayor (1957–1968).
- González Gelcia Bigas - Distinguished educator and independence activist peñolana
- Luis E. Hernández Díaz - Former director of Puerto Rican Culture Institute and Director of the Department of History at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
- Waldemar Purcell Gatell - Author of "Anthology of Storytellers Peñolanos"
- Rafael Rivera Lugo - Good peñolana youth representative in the area of education.
- Joseph A. (Tony) Santos - Musician and writer. Creator peñolano anthem "That's my people. "
Literature
There are several poems that allude to the people of Peñuelas. Among them are the book, The Literature Peñuelas "Yagrumal" or "The Cultural History Peñolano Almanac, " which is classified into several volumes and contain poetry about the different neighborhoods and sections of the people of Peñuelas. Some of the poets who took the time to create works in relation to this southern town are E. Myriam Rodríguez Hernández, Manuel Díaz Rodríguez, Karina Arroyo, Carlos J. Velazquez Cruz (creator and editor of the journal Yagrumal), Elan Rafael Novoa, Miguel Feliciano Román, Silvio Echevarría Rodríguez, Rigoberto Ramirez Cruz, Marcos Ortiz Gelpi, Peter J. Ramos, Ramon Rivera (Bonye), among others.Landmarks and places of interest
- Charco de Soplaera (natural water pool)
- Convento Caverns
- Don Angel Pacheco Monument
- Guilarte Forest
- Unknown Soldier Monument
- Parque de Bombas
- "La Negra Cocola" 0-4-2T Baldwin Steam Locomotive on static display in town plaza
- Museum of Art and History
- Cancha Carlos Rentas Gallardo (Quebrada Ceiba)
Festivals and events
- Festival del Güiro (Güiro Festival) - May
- Fiestas Patronales (Patron Celebrations)- November
- Vuelta cyclista - Bicycle tour
- Festival Artesanal(craft festival)
Transportation
Public bus service which connects you to Ponce city (east) and Guayanilla (west).Sports
Peñuelas AA Amateur Baseball team is called Los Petroleros de Peñuelas (The Peñuelas' Oilers.) The origin of this name dates back to the days when Peñuelas was home to a major petro-chemical complex known as CORCO. Although CORCO closed operations in 1980, the name stuck throughout the years.Also known as Luis "Tite" Arroyo's hometown, a baseball hero.
Another hometown hero is Ivelisse Echevarria, who was inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003 and is considered by many to be the greatest softball pitcher born in Puerto Rico.Myrian "Betty" Segarra, who was inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003 and the best first base in the woman softball in Puerto Rico.