Hatillo, Puerto Rico

Milk Industry Capital

Hatillo (ah-TEE-yo) is known as the “Milk Industry Capital”, “Hatillo of our Hearts”, the “Land of the Green Fields”, the “Town with no Soup” and “The Ranchers” Town”. The annual patron saint’s festival is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The town also celebrates the traditional Day of the Masks, on December 28th, the Day of the Holy Innocents.

Hatillo is located in northwest, north coast of Puerto Rico. Its bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the north, the town of Utuado on the south, Arecibo on the east, Camuy on the west, and briefly bordered by Lares on the southwest.

The town is part of the northern coastal plain in a zone designated as the northwest meseta where there is a belt of predominantly flat or slightly rolling land. The territory is divided into a northern and a southern belt, consisting of karst haystacks and sinkholes. Towards the center, the topography is irregular, extending towards the mountains of the island. Hatillo is bathed by the Camuy River.

Since its founding, Hatillo’s principal activity has been the cattle industry and the town is currently the world’s largest producer of milk per square mile, producing one third of the milk consumed in Puerto Rico. The town also has factories sponsored by the government Economic Development Administration, as well as the Plaza del Norte shopping mall, the fifth largest on the island. There is excellent fishing in its coastal waters, which are still used for this purpose.

Foundation:

Don Agustín Ruíz Miranda founded Hatillo as a village June 30, 1823. Its first mayor was Don Francisco Martinez. Originally the lands consisted of a lot that was approximately ten “cuerdas” (a cuerda is less than an acre). They were granted by Agustín Ruíz Miranda with the condition that public buildings be erected and wide streets be built and the remaining land be sold or yielded for homes. The lands could not be used for any other reasons than those as stipulated by him.

The town is also known as “Hatillo del Corazón del Riego” (Hatillo Heart of Riego) for two reasons: it had been separated from the district (barrio) of Hato Grande de Arecibo (Great Ranch of Arecibo). This district had been previously subdivided by the districts Hato Arriba (High Ranch), Hato Abajo (Low Ranch) and Hatillo. These names are a result of the main use of the lands at that time, which were the property of Don Esteban Colón. The main part was dedicated to cattle pastures or cattle ranches.

The second reason is a consequence of the revolution initiated by Don Rafael de Riego y Nuñez in Spain against the absolutist government of King Fernando VII and in tribute to his big “heart” in his liberation efforts.

A proposal by the syndicate Don Gabriel de Arana the name of “Hatillo del Corazón de Riego” (Hatillo Heart of Riego) was given to the new city. The governor of Puerto Rico then was Don Miguel de la Torre.

In the early years of its foundation, Hatillo had 910 inhabitants. During the following years this increased to 2,663 distributed in the urban zone districts (barrios) of Carrizales, Capáez, Naranjito, Corcovado, Buena Vista, (before Yeguada Occidental), Campo Alegre, (before Yeguada Oriental), Pajuil, Bayaney, Aibonito and Barrio Pueblo. In the 1940 census the Pajuil district disappeared being divided between Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre.

Hatillo is known as the “Milk Industry Capital “. Since its founding, Hatillo’s principal activity has been the cattle industry and the town is currently the world’s largest producer of milk per square mile, producing one third of the milk consumed in Puerto Rico. The town also has factories sponsored by the government Economic Development Administration, as well as the Plaza del Norte shopping mall, the fifth largest on the island. There is excellent fishing in its coastal waters, which are still used for this purpose.

Location:

Hatillo is located on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. It is bordered by: the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Lares and Utuado to the south, Arecibo to the east, and Camuy to the west.

Area:

109.0 sq km / 42.0 sq mi

Population:

38,925 (census 2000)

Population Density:

357.1 per sq km / 926.7 per sq mi

People are known as:

Hatillanos

Hatillo is also known as:

Capital De La Industria Lechera (Milk Industry Capital)
Hatillo Del Corazón De Riego (Hatillo Heart of Riego)
Tierra de Campos Verdes (Land of Green Fields)
Pueblo Sin Sopa (Town Without Soup)
Los Ganaderos (The Dairy Farmers)

Wards: Hatillo, Puerto Rico

Census 2000: Population by Wards – Hatillo	Habitantes
Aibonito	2,705
Barrio Pueblo	4,210
Bayaney	3,373
Buena Vista	2,279
Campo Alegre	4,829
Capáez	4,271
Carrizales	6,807
Corcovado	4,064
Hatillo Pueblo	2,757
Naranjito	3,630
Total	38,925

Source: Censo 2000

Topography:

Located between the mountains and the coastal plains, it forms part of the zone designated as the Plateau of the Northwest where there is a predominantly level coastal strip. Towards the interior of the municipality the topography becomes irregular.

Hydrography:

Camuy River

Economy:

Today dairy farms dominate the industry of the town and some factories as a secon alternative help promote the economy. Hatillo is the biggest (per square mile) producer of milk of the world and produces one-third part consumed in Puerto Rico. Plaza del North Mall located in the district of Carrizalez is the fifth mall in importance of the country.

Flag:

The flag consists of three stripes:

• Blue represents the sea
• Yellow the material and artistic wealth of the town
• Green the vegetation of its fields in all its territorial extension

Coat Of Arms:

A divided and semi-cut shield:

• On top, a gold crown with three towers.
• In a silver field a Custard Apple tree (annona reticulata).
• In one field two cows in gold.
• Eight blue and silver-plated waves.
• To the center a shield of “La Orden del Carmen”
• Under the shield as a motto the inscription, Hatillo Del Corazón.

Symbolisms:

• The crown establishes the category of town for Hatillo and symbolizes the union of all its citizens.
• The Custard Apple tree (annona reticulata) and the cows, allusive to a cattle ranch, are the voice of the town, which graphically proclaims the original name of the town Hatillo del Corazón de Riego.
• The silver plated and blue waves represents the beach of Hatillo. .
• To the center, the shield of La Orden del Carmen, which symbolizes the matron of the population, which is in Puerto Rico an important center of this Mariana avocation.

Curiosities:

Hatillo has the biggest pot in Puerto Rico. Measuring 8 feet across by 2½ feet deep. It has traveled all over the island for activities. In one occasion 2,400 lbs. of rice, ham, chicken and other ingredients were prepared. The owner is Dr. Sigfredo (Fifo) Aguilar.

Distinguished Citizens:

• Pablo J. Aguilar Galarza – Representative to the House of Representatives, District 11 (1937-1940). Mayor (1937).
• Manuel Alcaide Cordero – Mayor (1945-1948).
• Felipe Arana – Poet, musician, and writer. President of the Ibero-American Writers and Poets Circle in New York.
• Lorenzo Coballes Gandía – Attorney and poet.
• Oscar Colón Delgado – Renowned 20th century painter.
• Dr. Guillermo Curbelo – Political figure; represented Hatillo at the founding of the Autonomist Party in Ponce in 1887.
• Juan R. García Delgado – Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Member of the Republican Statehood Party.
• Velda González – Actress and senator at large (1980-2004).
• José P.H. Hernández – Musician, poet and pharmacist.
• Luis H. Lacomba – Musician.
• Fernando Ledesma – Member of the Chamber of Delegates and owner of the Bayaney sugar mill, now no longer extant.
• José R. Millán and Ramón Millán – Brothers and owners of Hacienda Santa Rosa.
•  José Antonio Monrouzeau – Composer and musician.
• Carmelo Rodríguez – Representative to the House, District 7 (1941-1944) and District 3 (1949-1960).
• Agustín Ruiz Miranda – Town founder
• Dr. Francisco M. Susoni – Physician and president of the House of Representatives (1945-1948).
• Pedro Pablo Vargas – Poet.

Name	Level	Telephone	Address
Elementary
ADRIÁN MARTÍNEZ GANDIA	K-6	(787) 898-3440	PO Box 1717, P.R. 00659-0000
CARMEN NOELIA PERAZA TOLEDO	K-6	(787) 898-0001	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
EUGENIO MARIA DE HOSTOS	K-6	(787) 898-1586	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
JOAQUÍN RODRÍGUEZ RUIZ	K-6	(787) 898-9272	PO Box 1336, P.R. 00659-0000
JOSÉ GAUTIER BENÍTEZ	PK-6	(787) 898-9096	PO Box 1707, P.R. 00659-0000
LUIS MELÉNDEZ RODRÍGUEZ	K-6	(787) 898-9497	PO Box 69001 Suite 207, P.R. 00659-0000
LUIS MUÑOZ RIVERA	K-6	(787) 898-1830	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
MANUEL CORCHADO	K-6	(787) 898-7240	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
ROSA E. MOLINARI	PK-6	(787) 898-4000	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
TEODORO ROOSEVELT	K-3	(787) 898-7040 43	PO Box 7, P.R. 00659-0000
Intermediate
JULIET A. CASEY	7-9	(787) 898-4170	PO Box 1653, P.R. 00659-1653
TIMOTEO DELGADO	7-9	(787) 898-9566	PO Box 69001 Suite 182, P.R. 00659-0000
Secondary
LUIS MELÉNDEZ RODRÍGUEZ	7-12	(787) 898-6911	PO Box 69001 Suite 275, P.R. 00659-0000
SU RAFAEL ZAMOT CRUZ	K-9	(787) 820-0841	PO Box 59003 Suite 166, P.R. 00659-0000
High School
LORENZO COBALLES GANDIA	10-12	(787) 898-4300	PO Box 1357, P.R. 00659-0000

Hymn:

Author : Charlie Aguilar
Musical arrangement: Papo Sánchez