Portugués Urbano
Encyclopedia
Portugués Urbano is one of the 31 barrio
s in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. Along with Canas Urbano
, Machuelo Abajo
, Magueyes Urbano
, and San Antón
, Portugués Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce.
, and within the city limits of the city of Ponce.
and the future western branch of PR-9, and on the East by Río Portugues (roughly), PR-503 (roughly), Cayey Street, Cerro San Tomas Street.
In terms of barrio-to-barrio boundaries, Portugués Urbano is bounded in the North by Portugués
, in the South by Canas Urbano
and Segundo
, in the West by Magueyes Urbano
, and in the East by Machuelo Arriba
and Sexto
.
Portugués Urbano has 1.14 square miles (3 km²) of land area and no water surface area. In 2000, the population of Portugués Urbano was 5,886 persons, and it had a density of 5,163 persons per square mile.
The Mameyes landslide tragedy occurred here.
The highest point in Barrio Portugués Urbano is Cerro Ponce 2 which stands at 574 feet. Another notable land feature is Cerro El Vigia which stands at 364 feet.
Portugués Urbano attracted attention recently when, in 1985, over 100 people were buried in their sleep from a landslide
as a result of heavy rains, in the Mameyes sector of Barrio Portugués Urbano.On October 7, 1985, Ponce was the scene of this major tragedy, when at least 129 people lost their lives to a mudslide in the Mameyes sector of Barrio Portugués Urbano. The heavy rains were part of the
Tropical Storm Isabel system. International help was needed to rescue people and corpses. The United States and many other countries, including Mexico
, France
, and Venezuela
, sent economic, human, and machinery relief. The municipal government, subsequently, moved the remaining residents of the sector to newly-built homes in a safer area of the municipality.
and Cruceta El Vigía
, both tourist attractions.
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...
s in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
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...
. Along with Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
, Machuelo Abajo
Machuelo Abajo
Machuelo Abajo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Machuelo Abajo is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of...
, Magueyes Urbano
Magueyes Urbano
Magueyes Urbano is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Magueyes Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
, and San Antón
San Antón
San Antón is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, and Portugués Urbano, San Antón is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce. It is...
, Portugués Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce.
Location
Portugués Urbano is an urban barrio located in the southern section of the municipality, north of the core of the city of Ponce at Plaza Las DeliciasPlaza Las Delicias
Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The square is notable for its fountains and for the various monuments it contains. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located within Plaza Las Delicias. Plaza Las Delicias is actually composed of...
, and within the city limits of the city of Ponce.
Boundaries
It is bounded on the North by Camino de Ponce (Golf Club) Street, Majagua Street, and Arboleda Street, on the South by Idilid Street, Shangai Street, Diez Street, Cinco Street, Pico Dulce Street, and Paseo de la Cruceta, on the West by Novedades Street, the hills east of Ponce CementPonce Cement, Inc.
Ponce Cement, Inc. was a cement and limestone manufacturer in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The company was located at the intersection of PR-123 and PR-500, in Barrio Magueyes. It was founded in 1941 by Antonio Ferre Bacallao, a Puerto Rican industrialist of Cuban origin. In 2002, Ponce Cement, Inc...
and the future western branch of PR-9, and on the East by Río Portugues (roughly), PR-503 (roughly), Cayey Street, Cerro San Tomas Street.
In terms of barrio-to-barrio boundaries, Portugués Urbano is bounded in the North by Portugués
Portugués
Portugués is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Magueyes, Tibes, Monte Llano, Maragüez, Machuelo Arriba, Sabanetas, and Cerrillos, Portugués is one of the municipality's eight rural interior barrios.-Location:Portugués is a mountainous rural barrio located...
, in the South by Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
and Segundo
Segundo (Ponce)
Segundo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Segundo is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
, in the West by Magueyes Urbano
Magueyes Urbano
Magueyes Urbano is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Magueyes Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
, and in the East by Machuelo Arriba
Machuelo Arriba
Machuelo Arriba is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with the barrios of Magueyes, Tibes, Portugués, Monte Llano, Maragüez, and Cerrillos, Machuelo Arriba is one of the municipality's seven rural interior barrios....
and Sexto
Sexto (Ponce)
Sexto is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto, and Quinto, Sexto is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
.
Features and demographics
The communities of Mameyes, El Vigia, and Jaime L. Drew, are located within the limits of barrio Portugués Urbano.Portugués Urbano has 1.14 square miles (3 km²) of land area and no water surface area. In 2000, the population of Portugués Urbano was 5,886 persons, and it had a density of 5,163 persons per square mile.
The Mameyes landslide tragedy occurred here.
The highest point in Barrio Portugués Urbano is Cerro Ponce 2 which stands at 574 feet. Another notable land feature is Cerro El Vigia which stands at 364 feet.
Mameyes landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
as a result of heavy rains, in the Mameyes sector of Barrio Portugués Urbano.On October 7, 1985, Ponce was the scene of this major tragedy, when at least 129 people lost their lives to a mudslide in the Mameyes sector of Barrio Portugués Urbano. The heavy rains were part of the
Tropical Storm Isabel system. International help was needed to rescue people and corpses. The United States and many other countries, including Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and 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...
, sent economic, human, and machinery relief. The municipal government, subsequently, moved the remaining residents of the sector to newly-built homes in a safer area of the municipality.
Notable landmarks
Barrio Portugués Urbano is home to Serralles CastleSerralles Castle
Serrallés Castle is a mansion located in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico overlooking the downtown area . It was built during the 1920s by Juan Eugenio Serrallés, son of businessman Juan Serrallés, founder of Destilería Serrallés...
and Cruceta El Vigía
Cruceta El Vigía
Cruceta del Vigía is a 100-foot-tall cross located atop Vigia Hill in Ponce, Puerto Rico, directly in front of the Serralles Castle museum. It houses a tourist center at its base, a 10 story vertical tower, and a horizontal sky bridge that has panoramic views of the city of Ponce and the Caribbean...
, both tourist attractions.