Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s First Settlement

Guaynabo (gwei-NAH-bo) is located in the northern part of Puerto Rico. It is known as “el primer poblado de Puerto Rico,” “la ciudad de los conquistadores,” “la capital del deporte,” “las ruinas de Caparra,” and “el pueblo del Carnaval Mabó” (Puerto Rico’s first settlement, city of the conquistadors, sports capital, ruins of Caparra, Mabó carnival town).

The municipality is located on the northern coast of the island is bounded by the San Juan bay and the town of Cataño to the north, Aguas Buenas to the south, Bayamón to the west, and San Juan to the east. Its territory lies within Puerto Rico’s northern coastal plain.

There are several hills in the southern part of the municipality. A smaller but noteworthy hill named Caneja, in the northern barrio of Pueblo Viejo. Within this hill is a cave which is known for its five entrances and its large, well lit interior. This town is also part of Puerto Rico’s Northern Karst zone.

This municipality’s economy is primarily industrial and commercial. Some of its factories process dairy products and foods from wheat and other grains, while others manufacture textiles and metal, paper, and chemical products. The service industry and construction are other important sectors within the economy of Guaynabo.

Foundation:

Guaynabo was founded in 1769, after its founders went through much turmoil battling to separate themselves from Bayamón because they had the approval since December 14, 1764, to found their town. Previously the city of Guaynabo was known as Buinabo. The Taíno name of Guaynabo means “Here is another fresh water place”, meaning, that the origin of Guaynabo is Indian-Antillean. Cacique Mabó ruled the Guaynabo region.

The process of colonization began in 1508, Juan Ponce de León – appointed the following year Captain General of Land and Sea Island and Governor in 1510 founded Caparra, the first Spanish settlement on the island, located in the north of what was currently it is the municipality of Guaynabo.

The town of Guaynabo was elevated to the rank of municipality in 1769, being separated from the municipality of Río Piedras. In 1875 the municipality of Guaynabo was dissolved and its territory divided between Bayamón and Río Piedras; the town of Guaynabo was within the municipality of Bayamón. Later, in 1912, Guaynabo regained its municipality status.

Location:

Located in the northern coast, it is bordereded by: Cataño and the San Juan Bay to the north, Aguas Buenas to the south, Bayamón to the west, and San Juan to the east.

Area:

70.2 sq km / 27.0 sq mi

Population:

100,053 (census 2000)

Population Density:

1,425.2 per sq km / 3,705.6 per sq mi

People are known as:

Guaynabeños

Guaynabo is also known as:

Primer Poblado de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico’s First Settlement)
Guaynabo la Ciudad de los Conquistadores (Guaynabo City Of Conquerors)
El Pueblo del Carnaval Mabó (Town Of The Mabó Carnival)

Wards: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Censo 2000: Población por Barrios – Guaynabo	Habitantes
Camarones	6,311
Frailes	33,023
Guaraguao	4,145
Guaynabo Pueblo	3,056
Hato Nuevo	3,115
Mamey	3,165
Pueblo Viejo	26,109
Río	2,811
Santa Rosa	16,981
Sonadora	1,337
Total	100,053

Source: Censo 2000

Topography:

To the south it contains smooth hills, the rest of its territory is characteristic of the Northern Coastal Plain.

Hydrography:

The Bayamón and the Guaynabo rivers. The Guaynabo, being the greatest tributary of the Bayamón, rises in Mamey, a ward of Guaynabo.

Economy:

Commerce, manufacturing (nutritional products and apparel).

Average Salary:

$384.88 weekly (1998)

Flag:

The flag of the municipality of Guaynabo is divided vertically in two equal parts by a crenellated line of six green battlements and five white ones. The half of the flag that is next to the hoist is green and the other half is white. On the green part appears the same cross, which except in this case is white and black, as that of the shield.

Coat Of Arms:

For five years the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña and the Cámara Junior de Guaynabo were detailing the design of the first drafts for the Coat Of Arms, the Flag and Official Seal of the City. In a resolution by the Municipal Assembly these symbols were approved officially July 11, 1972.

It has a green background. In its superior half there is a cross that is divided by a vertical line, another horizontal and two diagonals, with silver and black colors alternating. The inferior (lower) part of shield contains a fortress crowned with battlements. The fortress has over its door a small shield with the drawing of a purple lion rising up on its back legs. The cross is the standard of the Order of Preachers of Santo Domingo, and represents San Pedro Martyr of Verona, patron of the town. Above the shield is a crown formed by walls and towers.

Events:

• Three Kings Festival – January
• Mabó Carnival – February
• Mothers’ Day celebration – May
• Patron Saint Festival honoring Saint Peter the Martyr of Verona – May
• National Salsa Day – June
• Fine Arts camp and recreation and sports camp – June
• Bomba and Plena (folkloric music and dance) Festival – October
• Official lighting of Christmas Lights – November

Places To Visit:

• Bust of Román Baldorioty de Castro
• Guaynabo Fine Arts Center
• Caribe recreational center
• Mets Pavilion
• Ruins of Caparra
• Sports Museum
• City Hall
• Old telegraph facilities
• Vórtice II sculpture in the Cultural Plaza

Distinguished Citizens:

• Rafael Martínez Nadal – Born in Mayagüez, but died in Guaynabo. Attorney, journalist, editor, writer, speaker, businessman, and founder of various publications. Member (1921 – 1941) and president (1933 – 1941) of the Senate of Puerto Rico. Founder of the Partido Republicano Puro (Pure Republican Party) and of the newspaper El Globo. He was also president of the Partido Unión Republicana (Union Republican Party).
• Román Baldorioty de Castro – Renown educator, author, reformer, and patriot. Distinguished himself as one of Puerto Rico’s foremost abolitionists and spokesman for the island’s right to self-determination. He was selected to represent Puerto Rico at the 1867 Universal Fair, which was organized in Paris, France. In 1870, he was elected as a deputy in the Spanish parliament where he promoted abolition of slavery. He also founded the Partido Autonomista in 1887.
• Dolores Valdivieso Llompart –first woman mayor of Guaynabo.

Name	Level	Telephone	Address
Elementary
MARIANO ABRIL	K-6	(787) 720-7870	PO Box 29030-441, P.R. 00725-8900
LUIS MUÑOZ RIVERA I	K-3	(787) 783-8920	PO Box 3429, P.R. 00963-0000
ALEJANDRO JR. CRUZ	K-6	(787) 287-6080	PO Box 939, P.R. 00970-9390
BETTY ROSADO DE VEGA	K-6	(787) 720-6178	PO Box 7894 BO. CAMARONES, P.R. 00970-0000
ESPERANZA LINARES	1-6	(787) 731-8188	PO Box 939, P.R. 00970-9390
HATO NUEVO	1-6	(787) 731-2202	PO Box 1899, P.R. 00965-
JOSÉ DE DIEGO	K-6	(787) 720-3550	PO Box 5369, P.R. 00971-0000
JUAN ROMÁN OCASIO	PK-6	(787) 783-4272	URB. SANTA ROSA 3147 SUITE 062, P.R. 00970-0000
JUANILLO FUENTES	K-6	(787) 720-1055	AVE. ALEJANDRINO 3071, P.R. 00969-0000
LOS ALAMOS	K-6	(787) 720-3313	PO Box 1899, P.R. 00970-0000
LUIS MUÑOZ RIVERA II	4-6	(787) 783-5290	BO. AMELIA, P.R. 00970-0000
RAMÓN MARÍN SOLÁ	K-6	(787) 720-3911	URB. MUÑOZ RIVERA, P.R. 00970-0000
ROMÁN BALDORIOTY DE CASTRO	K-6	(787) 720-3351	PO Box 7886 SUITE 319, P.R. 00970-7886
SANTA ROSA II	K-3	(787) 287-0175	AVE ALEJANDRINO 3071, P.R. 00969-7035
SANTA ROSA III	K-6	(787) 720-2718	PO Box 74, P.R. 00970-0000
SANTIAGO IGLESIAS PATÍN	PK-6	(787) 783-1645	URB. SANTIAGO IGLESIAS, P.R. 00921-0000
Intermediate
MARIANO ABRIL	7-9	(787) 720-4755	HC 1 BOX 29030, P.R. 00725-0000
JUAN A MIRANDA	7-9	(787) 790-8198	PO Box 1899, P.R. 00970-0000
RAFAEL MARTÍNEZ NADAL	7-9	(787) 720-3356	PO Box 966, P.R. 00970-0966
Secundary
ROSALINA C. MARTÍNEZ	7-12	(787) 783-8385	PO Box 3311, P.R. 00963-0000
JUAN PONCE DE LEÓN	PK-9	(787) 792-3550	BO. JUAN DOMINGO, P.R. 00966-0000
SU RAFAEL HERNÁNDEZ	K-9	(787) 287-5840	PO Box 2058, P.R. 00970-0000
High School
JOSEFINA BARCELÓ	10-12	(787) 720-6482	PO Box 3974, P.R. 00970-3974
MARGARITA JANER PALACIOS	10-12	(787) 720-2217	URB. MUÑOZ RIVERA 53 AVE ESMERALDA, P.R. 00970-0000

Hymn:

By Rafael Velázquez Pericas