Caguas, Puerto Rico

City of the Turabo

Caguas (KAH-gwahs) is known as the “City of the Turabo” because it is spread out along the Turabo River valley. The city is also known as “the criollo city” or “the heart of Boriquén”. The festivities are celebrated near December 24 in honor of the Sweet Name of Jesus.

The municipality is located in the central eastern part of the island in the geographical subregion called the Caguas or the Turabo River valley. It is bordered on the north by San Juan and Trujillo Alto; on the south by Cayey and San Lorenzo; on the east by Gurabo and San Lorenzo; and on the west by Aguas Buenas, Cidra and Cayey.

The climate is a humid tropical climate, although there is less rain than in the eastern coastal valleys. The land, however, is fertile and deep.

Today Caguas is a major industrial and commercial center with more that 40 factories where plastic, clothing, leather goods, tobacco products, cameras, electronics, and other articles are manufactured. The city also is a tourist and ecological center, notably having inaugurated a botanical and cultural garden, part of the revitalization program for the traditional town center, where there are several sites and museums of interest for visitors.

Foundation:

Originally known as San Sebastián del Piñal de Caguax. The name is derived from the Indian Chief Caguax, a legendary Indian chief who reigned in these lands during the decline of the Taino civilization and faced the Spanish conquerors with brave resistance. Soon after he turned to Christianity.

Caguas was founded in 1775. In 1820 it received the title of Villa and in 1894 the title of City. Once Caguas became a municipality, housing improved and the streets were widened.

Location:

Caguas is located at the eastern end of the Central Mountain Range (Cordillera Central) surrounded by the Cayey Sierra. It is bordered by: Guaynabo, San Juan and Trujillo Alto on the north, Cayey and San Lorenzo on the south, Aguas Buenas, Cidra and Cayey on the west, and Gurabo and San Lorenzo on the east.

Area:

147.1 sq km / 58.6 sq mi

Population:

140,502 (census 2000)

Population Density:

955.1 per sq km / 2,397.6 per sq mi

People are known as:

Cagüeños

Caguas is also known as:

La Ciudad del Turabo (City of The Turabo)
El Corazón de Boriquén (Boriquén’s Heart)
La Ciudad Criolla (The Criole City)

Caguas, Puerto Rico

Census 2000: Population by Wards – Caguas	Habitants
Bairoa	19,201
Beatriz	4,467
Borinquen	6,522
Caguas (city)	24,023
Cañabón	6,070
Cañaboncito	28,669
Río Cañas	10,982
San Antonio	2,395
San Salvador	3,272
Tomás de Castro	19,301
Turabo	15,600
Total	140,502

Información: Negociado del Censo de los EE.UU. Censo 2000

Topography:

Its territory extends thru the Valley of Caguas or El Turabo, between the Sierra de Cayey and ramparts of the Central Mountain Range (Cordillera Central). The highest elevations are the Lucero at 2,887 feet, Alto de la Mesa at 1,210 feet, and the Los Altos de San Luis at 886 feet.

Hydrography:

The Grande de Loíza river divides this municipality from Gurabo. The Turabo, Cagüitas, Cañaboncito, Bairoa and Cañas rivers also form part of its hydrography.

Economy:

The economic activities of the city include: diamond cutting, tobacco, manufacture of leather products, crystal and plastic, electronic equipment and clothing.

Average Salary:

$292.01 weekly (1998)

Flag:

The flag was adopted in 1960. The colors are blue and yellow. The cross stands for the Cross of San Sebastián, for this was the first Christian village that settled in the Caguas Valley together with the hermitage of San Sebastián del Barrero.

Caguas is the first Municipality to have an official flag for ten of its “Barrios” or rural communities. The flag was designed following the same blueprint as the city flag, but white instead of dark blue. The Bairoa Coat of Arms replaces Caguas Coat of Arms. It reads: “Bairoa, Clear River Water, 1842”.

This flag was with its original white field. It was recently changed to light peach. The shield was designed by Wilma Román Torres based on the history of the Bairoa sector. The symbols and their meanings are as follows:

• 1842 – year of the first document identifying Bairoa as a “Barrio” · Bairoa – means “clear river water”
• Mountains – represents the mountains that surround the valley
• Cemí (Indian idol) – represents our Taíno roots and the fertility of the valley
• Carmelite Shield – represents the arrival at the sector of the Catholic faith on 1869 9
• River – represents the Bairoa river that gives origin to its name
• Tobacco plant – represents the major produce in the barrio
• Sugar Cane – represents the produce of muscovado sugar and rum of the barrio.

The flag was designed by Carlos I. Fernández Velázquez and its background color is “seafoam”, a kind of light turquoise or blue green. Six sectors make up the barrio and are represented in its symbology: La bandera fue diseñada por Carlos I. Fernández Velázquez y el color de su fondo es “seafoam”, una clase de turquesa clara o verde azul. Seis sectores forman el barrio y se representan en sus símbolos:

• Bees – stands for Las Abejas sector, where many beehives could once be found s
• Pana fruit – stands for Los Panes sector, a very abundant produce
• Mango tree – stands for La Jurado or El Mangó sector. Jurado was the last name of the first inhabitants; a mango tree has been for many generations at the barrio entrance
• House – stands for Luis Munoz Grillo sector, who donated his house for the still operating school ia
• Pineapples – stands for Las Pinas sector, which also was once a major produce
• Crossroad – stands for Las Cruces sector that divides the road to Caguas, Cayey and Cidra municipalities

The flag was designed by the student Armando Sosa Flores and its background color is “blue flower”, a kind of very light blue. Its simple symbology is as follows:

• Cemí (Indian idol) – represents the same object found at the El Algodón Farm near the Turabo riverbank
• Indian hamlets – represents the “Yucayeque” or main indian settlement that is believed existed in this place

The flag was designed by the student Carlos E. Acevedo Rivera and its background color is light peach. Its symbology is as follows: Forming a circle, the symbols that stand for the historic come about of Canabón barrio appear in the center of the shield. A small Caguas city shield (crossed arrows with pineapples) appears over the main circle.

• Broken chain – the abolition of black slavery in 1873
• Cemí – in the background appearing as a mountain (it is de facto believed that the designed of these stone idols was inspired by the actual form of our mountains), meaning the native indian contribution to the area development. In the present, the development as a botanic garden of the area known as Las Casitas is been considered
• Chimney – the right side one represents the San José Sugar Mill and the left side one represents the Santa Catalina Sugar Mill. Both of them are surrounded by a sugar cane plantation and the birth of the Cagüitas river.

The flag was designed by Norma I. Villafane Semidey and its background color is “buff”, a kind of yellow cream color. Its symbology is described as follows:

• The blue, red and gold colors – represents the City of Caguas
• Crown – represents the “Cacique” or chief Caguax
• Pineapple – represents the Settlement of El Pinal, as the city was first known
• Rectangle – stands also for the city of Caguas
• Arrows – our native weapons
• Three sugar canes – stands for “good sugar cane” that gives name to the barrio
• Map – geographic depiction of the barrio
• Cow – represents the live stock industry
• Tobacco leaf – represents the tobacco industry
• Church – represents Christianity and brotherhood

The flag was designed by Lydia Milano Albino and its background color is light peach. Its symbology is as follows:

• Blue, green and earthen colors – associated with nature
• Sugar Mill – symbolizes the center of the main economic activity
• Sugar cane – meant once the worker’s sustenance and dedication
• River – its waters represent the symbol that gives its name to the barrio, due to the abundance in the zone of bodies of water
• Pineapple – makes us remember the origins of our city of Caguas, the city of the Turabo (river), when the Settlement of San Sebastián del Pinal (place of pineapples) was founded in 1750

The flag was designed by the student Katerina B. Torres Figueroa and its background color is “blue flower”, a kind of very light blue. Its symbology is very simple:

• The brilliant blue and gold colors – stand for the sky and the countryside, respectively
• The crown, pineapple and Indian (with crossed arrows) – are the elements present in the coat of arms of Caguas and stand for the same meaning

The flag was designed by the student Milaniza Montalvo García and its background color is light peach. Its symbology is as follows:

• Blue background – the pluvial resources that exist and the fresh water to drink
• The river, sky and mountains – suggest Paradise, because this barrio keeps its natural resources away from the destruction that comes from cement building and technology
• Plantain or banana trees – stand for the abundance of these produce
• Olive leaves garland – stands for peace, which is abundant in the barrio, and for hope of better days

This is the flag of the rural community or “barrio” of Tomás de Castro, Caguas, Puerto Rico. This was the second community to have its own official flag after Bairoa.

This is the new official flag of Barrio Turabo, Caguas, Puerto Rico approved by the Assembly and the Municipality of Caguas. The background color of the flag is a ligth blue with the original Turabo flag centered in a shield over crossed with the Taino’s arrows, same as the Caguas flag.

Description: The orange color of the first triangle on the flag represents the “clay” of the valley of Turabo in Caguas, Puerto Rico and symbolizes the original name of the first settlement “San Sebasti’an del Barrero”

• The arrow tip of the white triangle symbolizes the “Cacique Caguax” (Taíno Indian Chief) of the valley of Turabo, Caguas, Puerto Rico.
• The wide yellow band represents the light of the sun, the industry and the urban zone of the ward.
• The narrow blue band symbolizes the Turabo River (and also represents the blue field of the Caguas flag).
• The wide green band represent the mountains and the rural zone of the community, and the hope in the future.
• The yellow and white colors symbolize the faith and the harmony of the inhabitants of the “barrio” (ward) community.

Coat Of Arms:

The colors blue and gold were chosen for the shield, distinctive of the city of Caguas. The figures symbolize the Indigenous and Christian origins of this city. The crown represents Chief Caguax, Monarch of the Turabo Valley, upon the arrival of the Spanish conquerors. It symbolizes in addition, the Indian village host of the Chief whose name perpetuates the city.

The arrows, offensive arms of the indians, are arranged in vanes or cross of San Andrés remembering the conversion to Christianity of Chief Caguax. The population of Indians under the reign of Chief Caguax lived during the sixteenth century in the western margin of the Río Grande de Loíza and probably constituted the nucleus of the Dulce Nombre de Jesús del Piñal village, second Christian population of the Valley. San Sebastián, patron of the Hermitage del Barrero, is represented by the arrows that were the instruments of his martyrdom.

The pineapples symbolize the Dulce Nombre de Jesús del Piñal village, whose neighbors moved from the place that they occupied in the eastern margin of the Río Grande de Loíza, founding the “village” of Caguas in 1775. It was constituted as a town in 1779, a named village in 1820, and given the title of city in 1894.

Events:

• Three Kings Festival – January
• Rosario cantado (sung rosary) for the Kings – January
• Beatriz Criollo Fair – February
• Borinquen Criollo Fair – March
• Cañabón Criollo Fair – April
• Festival of the Holy Cross – May
• Criollo Festival – June
• Concert and lighting of the Christmas tree – November

Places To Visit:

• Víctor Torres Lizardi Amphitheater
• Santa Catalina Plantation
• Jorge F. Sotomayor del Toro Natural Protected Reserve
• Biennial of Concrete Sculpture
• Home of the composer Héctor Flores Osuna
• Casa Rosada (Abelardo Díaz Alfaro)
• Casa del Trovador Luis Miranda “Pico de Oro”
• Sweet Name of Jesus Cathedral
• Angel O. Berrios Center for the Arts
• José Ignacio Quintón Criollo Music Center
• Eco-Plaza Borinquen
• José Gautier Benítez School
• Cofresí Plantation
• Hacienda Country Club
• Caguas Botanical and Cultural Garden (Hacienda San José)
• Monument to Luis Muñoz Marín
• Monument to Ramón Emeterio Betances
• Monument to Indigenous Women
• Monument to Puerto Rican Soldiers
• Monument to African Heritage
• Caguas Art Museum (Dr. Concha Meléndez “Casa Amarilla”)
• Carlos Manuel (Charlie) Rodríguez Museum
• Caguas Museum (at City Hall)
• Tobacco Museum (Herminio Torres Grillo)
• Caguas Tourism Office (Solá Building where the newspaper La Democracia was published)
• La Asturiana bakery
• Yldefonso Solá Morales baseball park
• Honor al Río Promenade
• Michael A. Marrero Félix Young People’s Square
• Juan Corujo Collazo Square
• Santiago R. Palmer Square (town square)
• Alcázar Theater
• Luis M. Arcelay theater
• The Telegraph Building (Former Spanish government building)
• Turabo Park
• Villa Coquí

Distinguished Citizens:

• Margot Arce de Vázquez – educator and essayist.
• Eugenio Astol Busatti – journalist, poet, short-story writer, and essayist.
• Abelardo Díaz Alfaro – short-story writer, author of El Josco.
• José Gautier Benítez – poet, author of Ausencia.
• Concha Meléndez – literary critic, essayist, and educator.
• José Mercado – poet, journalist, and humorist.
• Juan José Osuna – educator and essayist.
• Carlos Manuel (Charlie) Rodríguez – first Puerto Rican to be beatified.
• Luis Felipe (La Voz) Rodríguez Quiñones – singer
• Yldefonso Solá Morales – Mayor of Caguas (1929 – 1930), senator (1949 – 1969) and delegate to the Constitutional Assembly of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• José Ignacio Quintón – pianist and composer.
• Francisco P. Jiménez – poet and journalist.
• Héctor Flores Osuna – composer

Name	Level	Telephone	Address
Elementary
ABELARDO DÍAZ MORALES	K-6	(787) 743-9056	CALL BOX 4952 SUITE 353, P.R. 00726-4952
AMALIA H MANGUAL	K-6	(787) 747-1311	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956
ANDRÉS GONZÁLEZ	K-6	(787) 747-7282	HC 2 BOX 30830, P.R. 00726-0000
ANTONIO LONGO	K-3	(787) 747-9190	PO Box 49552 CONSOLIDATED MALL, P.R. 00726-4952
BENITA GONZÁLEZ QUIÑÓNEZ	K-6	(787) 743-4467	PO Box 9177, P.R. 00726-9177
DIEGO VÁZQUEZ	K-6	(787) 743-3695	PO Box 4956 SUITE 1271, P.R. 00726-4956
FRANCISCO VALDES	K-6	(787) 747-9464	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956
JARDINES DE CAGUAS	EE	(787) 745-4110	PO Box 4961 SUITE 149, P.R. 00726-4961
JESÚS T PIÑERO	K-6	(787) 747-1992	PO Box 1542, P.R. 00726-1542
LUIS CARTAGENA NIEVES	PK-6	(787) 744-6961	PO Box 4960, P.R. 00726-4960
MARIA MONTAÑEZ GÓMEZ	K-6	(787) 747-8080	PO Box 5475, P.R. 00726-5475
MIGUEL F CHIQUES	K-6	(787) 743-2460	URB MARIOLGA SUITE 32281 S1 AVE LUIS MUÑOZ MARÍNPR 00725-0000
NEREIDA ALICEA CRUZ	K-6	(787) 743-3736	URB VILLA CRIOLLO CALLE GUAMA F-1A, P.R. 00725-0000
PEDRO MILLÁN RIVERA	K-6	(787) 744-4777	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956
PEPITA ARENAS	K-6	(787) 746-4262	PO Box 4961 SUITE 140, P.R. 00726-0000
PEPITA GARRIGA	K-6	(787) 743-3633	PO Box 5759, P.R. 00726-0000
Intermediate
FELIPE RIVERA CENTENO	7-9	(787) 746-5660	PO Box 1177, P.R. 00726-0000
NICOLÁS AGUAYO ALDEA	7-9	(787) 743-5065	PO Box 5759, P.R. 00726-0000
RAFAEL QUIÑONES VIDAL	7-9	(787) 744-5666	PO Box 4953, P.R. 00726-4953
Secondary
ANTONIO DOMÍNGUEZ NIEVES	7-12	(787) 747-2026	PO Box 9718, P.R. 00726-0000
High School
ELOISA PASCUAL	10-12	(787) 746-5506	PO Box 4953, P.R. 00726-4953
MANUELA TORO MORICE	10-12	(787) 744-2111	PO Box 5759, P.R. 00726-0000
REPÚBLICA DE COSTA RICA	10-12	(787) 746-7565	BOX 880, P.R. 00726-0000
All Levels
ANTONIO S PAOLI (MÚSICA)	1-12, ADULTOS	(787) 746-6644	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956

Name	Level	Telephone	Address
Elementary
BUNKER	K-6	(787) 744-7868	PO Box 4961 SUITE 158, P.R. 00726-4961
CHARLES E MINER	K-6	(787) 744-7779	URB. VILLA NUEVA CALLE 25, P.R. 00725-0000
CIPRIANO MANRIQUE	K-6	(787) 747-3600	PO Box 5591, P.R. 00726-0000
CONCEPCIÓN MÉNDEZ CANO	K-6	(787) 744-1735	PO Box 9808, P.R. 00726-9808
CORNELIO AYALA	K-6	(787) 747-4500	PO Box 8681, P.R. 00726-0000
INÉS MARIA MENDOZA	PK-6	(787) 744-6447	SEC.1 AVE LUIS MUÑOZ MARÍN, P.R. 00725-0000
JOSÉ DE DIEGO	K-6	(787) 743-5830	PO Box 7714, P.R. 00726-0000
JOSÉ MERCADO	K-6	(787) 746-7858	URB. MARIOLGA AVE LUIS MUÑOZ MARÍN, P.R. 00726-6160
JUAN NAVARRO	K-6	(787) 747-6600	PO Box 4952, P.R. 00726-4952
JUSTINA VÁZQUEZ MENDOZA	K-6	(787) 743-6069	PO Box 5838, P.R. 00726-5838
LUIS MUÑOZ GRILLO	K-6	(787) 747-5566	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956
LUIS MUÑOZ MARÍN	K-6	(787) 745-4870	PO Box 8463, P.R. 00726-0000
LUIS MUÑOZ RIVERA	K-6	(787) 743-2303	PO Box 4961 SUITE 314, P.R. 00726-4961
MYRNA M FUENTES	PK-6	(787) 744-2231	PO Box 4952 SUITE 77, P.R. 00726-4952
PAULA MOJICA	K-6	(787) 743-2498	PO Box 4952, P.R. 00726-4952
RAMÓN BRUGUERAS	K-6	(787) 744-5114	PO Box 6135, P.R. 00726-0000
ROSA C. BENÍTEZ	K-6	(787) 743-8446	URB. VILLA DEL REY CALLE WINDSOR, P.R. 00725-0000
SALVADOR RODRÍGUEZ	K-6	(787) 747-6900	PO Box 8436, P.R. 00726-0000
Intermediate
ANTONIO S PEDREIRA	7-9	(787) 743-4868	URB. VILLA CARMEN 300 CALLE GUAYAMA, P.R. 00725-0000
GERARDO SELLES SOLA	7-9	(787) 743-3276	PO Box 669, P.R. 00726-000
HAYDEE CABALLERO	7-9	(787) 744-4575	PO Box 7285, P.R. 00726-7285
JOHN F KENNEDY	7-9	(787) 743-5191	URB. VILLA DEL REY, P.R. 00725-0000
LUIS RAMOS GONZÁLEZ	7-9	(787) 743-9194	URB. MARIOLGA AVE LUIS MUÑOZ MARÍN, P.R. 00726-0000
Secondary
SU MERCEDES PALMA	K-9	(787) 747-4025	HC 04 BOX 44374, P.R. 00725-9606
SU SANDALIO MARCANO	K-9	(787) 747-3110	PO Box 4956, P.R. 00726-4956
High School
DR. JUAN JOSÉ OSUNA	10-12	(787) 747-8629	PO Box 9173, P.R. 00726-9173
JOSÉ GAUTIER BENÍTEZ	10-12	(787) 743-4211	PO Box 5536, P.R. 00726-0000
All Levels
CENTRO DE SERVICIOS EDUCATIVOS	K-12	(787) 746-5685	CALLE PADIAL, P.R. 00725-0000

Hymn:

By Efraín García