Aguacate is a community of about 5,000 people in the province of Mayabeque in Cuba. Until 1976 it was part of the former province of Havana. It was a town until 1973 when it became incorporated into the municipality of

Madruga Madruga () is a municipality and town in the Mayabeque Province of Cuba. It is located in the eastern part of the province, between Matanzas and Güines. It was founded in 1803. Geography In 1940, the municipality was divided into the barrios ...

. As of January 1, 2011, the locality became part of the new Province of Mayabeque. Aguacate is also a station on the main line of the Cuban National Railway.

History

The town was founded in 1796 by some neighbors who settled in el corral de los Siete Príncipes. This community was divided in 1803. That same year the first church was constructed, being auxiliary of

Jibacoa Jibacoa, or more properly Playa Jibacoa, is a fishing village A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world h ...

. Later an oratorio consecrated to Our Lady of the Carmen was constructed, replacing the first church. The community was severely damaged in the 1846 Havana hurricane. The municipal council dates from 1879. In 1919 Aguacate had a population of 2557 people, increasing to 2895 in 1931 and reaching 3324 in 1943. In 2002 it surpassed 5,000 inhabitants.

Geography

Aguacate is located at kilometer 73 of the Central Highway between

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

and

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains t ...

, to which it is joined by a branch. By rail it is 30 kilometers from the city of

Matanzas Matanzas (Cuban ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish ''Bahia de Matanzas''), east ...

and 62 from Havana. The chess master

José Raúl Capablanca José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera (19 November 1888 – 8 March 1942) was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. A chess prodigy, he is widely renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play. Capablanc ...

spent part of his childhood in this town.

Footnotes

References

* Helsen Hernandez
A Place in Cuba Called Aguacate
Havana Times, September 4, 2013 * Irina Echarri
Spring Surprises in the Cuban town of Aguacate
Havana Times, June 6, 2014 {{coord, 22.984, -81.823, type:landmark_region:CU, display=title Populated places in Mayabeque Province