Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
located in the northwestern tip of
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
Aguadilla is a shortening of the town's original name ''San Carlos de La Aguadilla''. The name ''Aguadilla'' is a diminutive of '' Aguada'', which is the name of the
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an o ...
and municipality located to the south. Some of the municipality's nicknames are: ''Jardín del Atlántico'' ("Garden of the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
"), ''Pueblo de los Tiburones'' ("
Shark
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...
Town") and ''La Villa del Ojo de Agua'' ("Villa of the
Water Spring
A spring is a point of exit at which groundwater from an aquifer flows out on top of Earth's crust (pedosphere) and becomes surface water. It is a component of the hydrosphere. Springs have long been important for humans as a source of fresh w ...
") after the natural water spring that was used by early settlers and Spanish soldiers as a water source which is now located in El Parterre Square in Aguadilla Pueblo.
History
According to sources, a
Taíno
The Taíno were a historic Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, indigenous people of the Caribbean whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the ...
settlement called ''Aymamón'' was located close to the Culebrinas River.
The present territory of Aguadilla was originally part of the territory of Aguada. In 1775, the foundation of Aguadilla by Don Luis de Córdova was approved. But it wasn't until 1780 that the territory was properly segregated, making the founding of the town official. Originally, Aguadilla was constituted by the Victoria and Higüey barrios.Aguadilla: Fundación e historia on Enciclopedia de Puerto Rico This region was already inhabited and known as Aguadilla before 1770. In 1776, Fray Íñigo Abbad y Lasierra in his description of the towns of the island, mentioned it as the "new Town of San Carlos de La Aguadilla." Nevertheless, according to Dr.
Agustín Stahl
Dr. Agustín Stahl (January 21, 1842 – July 12, 1917) was a Puerto Rican medical doctor and scientist with diverse interests in the fields of ethnology, botany, and zoology. He advocated Puerto Rico's independence from Spain.
Early years
...
in his ''Foundation of Aguadilla'', it was not until 1780 that the town was officially founded. The construction of a new church and the proceedings to become an independent village began in 1775.
The population in the Village of Aguadilla continued to increase constantly mainly due to its excellent port and strategic location in the route of the boats. In 1776, when
Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional)
, webs ...
became independent for the first time, the loyalists of Spanish descent emigrated to Puerto Rico, mainly to Aguadilla, which caused the population to continue increasing significantly. In 1831, according to Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova, the area or "party" of Aguadilla belonged to Aguada. At this time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla was as follows: Pueblo Norte (North Town), Pueblo Sur (South Town), Ceiba Alta, Ceiba Baja, Montaña, Malezas, Aguacate, Dos Palmas, Camaseyes, Plainela, Borinquen, Arenales, Higüey, Corrales, Victoria, and Mangual.
Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova mentions the road of Aguadilla formed by Punta Borinquen and San Francisco, as the "anchorage of the ships that travel from Europe to
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
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
". He adds that its "port is the most frequented in the Island due to the proportions that it offers to refresh all class of ship."
In 1860, Aguadilla was officially declared a village. Several years later, when the island was territorially organized into seven departments, Aguadilla became the head of the third department that included the municipalities of Aguada, Isabela,
Lares
Lares ( , ; archaic , singular ''Lar'') were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these.
Lare ...
San Sebastián
San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the ...
. In January 1841 a Royal Order transferred the judicial party from Aguada to Aguadilla. In 1878, according to Don Manuel Ebeda y Delgado, the territorial organization of Aguadilla had varied a little. At this time Plainela, Higüey, and Mangual barrios are not mentioned. The Dos Palmas barrio appears as Palmar. Also at this time, three new barrios are mentioned: Guerrero, Caimital Alto, and Caimital Bajo. In 1898, even with the change of sovereignty in the island, the territorial organization of Aguadilla is the same to that of 1878. Nevertheless, in the Census of 1899, downtown Aguadilla appears constituted by Higüey, Iglesia, Nueva, Santa Barbara, and Tamarindo barrios. Malezas barrio appears subdivided into Maleza Alta and Maleza Baja. From that time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla did not change, until 1948, when the Puerto Rico Department of Planning prepared the map of the city and its barrios, and following instructions of city authorities, Higüey and parts of Caimital Alto barrios are annexed to Downtown Aguadilla.
Ramey Air Force Base
Aguadilla was the site of the U.S. military's Ramey Air Force Base for almost five decades. During this period, Aguadilla was home to the
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
.
Activated in June 1952 as a Strategic Air Command very long-range reconnaissance unit at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, but not operational until October 1952. Redesignated as 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and received 3 (60th, 73rd and 301st) squadrons of RB-36D/E/F/H Peacemaker bombers. Also, the 915th Air Rescue Squadron. Conducted global strategic reconnaissance 1953–1955, gradually shifting to a bombardment training mission beginning in 1954, being upgraded to B-36J and B-36J(III) Featherweights by 1955. Redesignated 72d Bombardment Wing in 1958.
With the phaseout of the B-36s in 1958, received B-52G Stratofortress intercontinental strategic bombers.
Though the infrastructure still exists, the airport was handed over to the
Government of Puerto Rico
The government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government with separation of powers, subject to the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States.Puerto Rico Ports Authority and comprise the Rafael Hernández International Airport. The barracks now host the Faro Inn Suites, a 79-room hotel. The Officer's Club now hosts the Faro Conference Center, a meeting facility. The hospital is now the Courtyard by
Marriott
Marriott may refer to:
People
*Marriott (surname)
Corporations
* Marriott Corporation, founded as Hot Shoppes, Inc. in 1927; split into Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation in 1993
* Marriott International, international hot ...
Punta Borinquen Resort & Casino, a 150-room hotel with a casino and the first Marriott in Puerto Rico outside of the
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
Metropolitan Area.
Ramey also hosts the
University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla (UPRAG or UPR-Aguadilla) is a public university campus in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico.
In 2010 the campus went on strike as part of the 2010–2011 University ...
and the Friedrich Froebel Bilingual School (K-9). The high school became Ramey Job Corps Campus and the elementary school became the Esther Feliciano Mendoza Middle School. Centro de Adiestramiento y Bellas Artes (CABA) since 1979 has been the only public school of arts in Puerto Rico (7–12). Ramey is also the site of the new Ramey Skating Park and a new ''mariposario'' (butterfly farm) and the Ramey Shopping Center.
There is still an active part of the base that hosts the
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
Borinquen Air Station. There are also other government agencies based at Ramey, including the United States
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-ter ...
Office of Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States' Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing the borders of the United States. According to its web site in 2022, its mission ...
, the ''Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción'' (United Forces for Rapid Action) of the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Puerto Rico National Guard.
There is also a post office, the ''Centro de Servicios al Conductor'' (Driver's Services Center), a bakery, and a
Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Popular, Inc., doing business as Banco Popular in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and as Popular Bank in the mainland United States, is a financial services conglomerate that has operated in Puerto Rico for over 125 years and in the mainland ...
location.
San Antonio
San Antonio village was established in the mid-19th century. It was populated by 60 families. Originally the place where these families were located was known as ''Bajura de Vadi'', the place later to become known as San Antonio.
In 1918, as a consequence of the
1918 San Fermín earthquake
The 1918 San Fermín earthquake, also known as the Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918, struck the island of Puerto Rico at on October 11. The earthquake measured 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale and IX (''Violent'') on the Mercalli intensity scal ...
, the village was completely destroyed by a
tsunami
A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater exp ...
. The families suffered the struggles caused by this natural disaster due by the proximity of the village to the shore.
The residents of the village decided re-localize the village in a higher area further from shore. The new location was what today is known as Ramey.
The village's infrastructure started its evolution. Luis R. Esteves and Juan Garcia established the first two theaters in the area. A new was social club form, known as "Luz del Porvenir" (Light of the Future). A new school system was the pride of the village because it offered them the opportunity to give their children an education without having to go south downtown. There was also a new bakery and a post office, among other facilities. At this time, the village also began its Patron Festival.
The clothing industry was a major source of employment.
In September 1939, some covered by sugar cane, was expropriated for the military at the cost of $1,215,000, in order to build an air base that came to be known as Ramey Air Force Base.
Since the foundation, the village has suffered three expropriations as a result of expansions to Ramey Air Force Base. These expropriations delayed and ended the plans to turn San Antonio into a town.
Today, the population of San Antonio consists of approximately ten thousand people. It has a modern square, a Puerto Rico State Police Station, a coliseum, an industrial park, public housing, a baseball park, a public school system, shops, and many other characteristics of a small town. The town also has a flag and an emblem. Roberto Román Acevedo designed the town flag and emblem.
Tragedy on election day in 1944
On the early morning hours of November 7, 1944, Puerto Rico suffered the worst railroad accident in its history.''La Tragedia del 7 de noviembre de 1944'' (The Tragedy of November 7, 1944) by Haydee E. Reichard de Cancio, El Nuevo Dia, Por Dentro Section, Pg. 116, December 7, 1996, retrieved on July 31, 2006 Train No. 3 was traveling from
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
to Ponce carrying passengers to their different hometowns for the island general elections to be held that same day. It stopped at the Jiménez Station in Aguadilla for a routine
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considerin ...
and
boilerman
A fireman, stoker or watertender is a person whose occupation it is to tend the fire for the running of a boiler, heating a building, or powering a steam engine. Much of the job is hard physical labor, such as shoveling fuel, typically coal, into ...
exchange with Train No. 4 which was heading to San Juan. The engineer assigned to Train No. 3's ride from Jiménez Station to Ponce was José Antonio Román, an experienced freight train engineer who had never worked in passenger travel. When the train left the station at 2:00 am, it was carrying 6 passenger cars with hundreds of commuters and two freight cars.
At 2:20 a.m. the train started to descend a hill section known as ''Cuesta Vieja'' (Old Hill) in Aguadilla at, what some witnesses described as, an exaggerated speed. When the train reached the leveling-off point at the bottom of the hill it derailed. The steam locomotive crashed into a ditch where it exploded and one of the freight cars crashed into one of the passenger cars, killing many inside. Witnesses described the scene as horrendous, with some accounts stating that parents were throwing their children out the windows to save them from the wreckage. Chief of Police Guillermo Arroyo stated that the locomotive (No. 72), the express car, and three second class passenger cars were completely destroyed. Oscar Valle, an Aguadilla correspondent to '' El Mundo'' newspaper, summarized the scene with: "The locomotive suffered a terrible explosion as it derailed, and the impact was so strong that 3 passenger cars were converted into a fantastic mound of wreckage". In the end, 16 passengers lost their lives, including the engineer and the boilerman, and 50 were injured in the crash.
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...
struck Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, causing large-scale damage and destruction to infrastructure. In Aguadilla 10 inches of rain were recorded and its more than 54,000 residents were left with no electrical power.
The four radar systems used by the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
for flights in and around Puerto Rico were damaged by
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...
, and it took nearly two weeks to fix them. One of the radar systems is located in Aguadilla.
Geography
Aguadilla is located in the northwest coast of the island of
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, in the Western Coastal Plains. It is bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
in the north, the municipalities of Isabela on the east, and Moca and Aguada in the south.
The area of the municipality is 35.5 square miles. It is mostly plain, with some notable hills being Jiménez (728 feet) and Viñet (689 feet). It has only one river, the Culebrinas, which separates Aguadilla from Aguada. Also, Cedro Creek which separates Aguadilla from Isabela in the north.
Barrios
Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as , near the center of the municipality.
# Aguacate
#
Aguadilla barrio-pueblo
Aguadilla barrio-pueblo is an urban Barrios of Puerto Rico, barrio and the administrative center (Seat of government, seat) of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, a municipality of Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,627.
As was customary i ...
Borinquen
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
Ceiba Alta
Ceiba Alta is a rural barrio in the municipality of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 667.
History
Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and ...
#
Ceiba Baja
Ceiba Baja is a rural barrio in the municipality of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 2,356.
History
Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 an ...
Guerrero
Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...
minor civil divisions
A minor civil division (MCD) is a term used by the United States Census Bureau for primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of a county or county-equivalent, typically a municipal government such as a city, town, or civil township. MCD ...
) in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (which means ''sectors'' in English). The types of ''sectores'' may vary, from normally ''sector'' to ''urbanización'' to ''reparto'' to ''barriada'' to ''residencial'', among others.
Special Communities
(Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of
social exclusion
Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. It is used across discipline ...
. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Aguadilla: , and .
Temperature of sea
Economy
The city is currently home to a variety of industrial and pharmaceutical plants such sa LifeScan, Symmetricom,
Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...
, and
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
The Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) is an American multinational information technology company based in Spring, Texas, United States.
HPE was founded on November 1, 2015, in Palo Alto, California, as part of the splitting of the ...
. Most of them are located at San Antonio Technological Park. The airport has
Lufthansa Technik
Lufthansa Technik AG ('Lufthansa Engineering', often referred to simply as “LHT”) provides worldwide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft, engines, and components. It is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group.
Headquarte ...
, while others like Suiza Dairy, Lockheed Martin and Productos La Aguadillana are located in Camaseyes Industrial Park. Other industries that are based in Aguadilla are rubber, plastics, leather, textiles, steel, wood, machinery, and food processing.
The retail sector is another source of economy in Aguadilla. Shopping malls like Aguadilla Mall, Aguadilla Shopping Center, Aguadilla Town Center, and others are some of the main commercial and retail centers of the city.
In 2019, Aguadilla received the City Livability Award from the
United States Conference of Mayors
The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) is the official non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayors or other chief elected officials. The organization was founded i ...
and honored the efforts spearheaded by Carlos Méndez Martínez. Specifically mentioned was "Pintalto", a project where Cerro Cabrero area, in the downtown area of Aguadilla was painted in rich, lively colors.
Tourism
Aguadilla is part of the
Porta del Sol
Porta del Sol is a tourism region in western Puerto Rico. It consists of 17 municipalities in the western area: Quebradillas, Isabela, San Sebastián, Moca, Aguadilla, Aguada, Rincón, Añasco, Mayagüez, Las Marías, Maricao, Hormigueros, San Ge ...
touristic region in Puerto Rico. The Porta del Sol website highlights Aguadilla's beaches for surfing.
According to the
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
The Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER) is the executive department of the government of Puerto Rico tasked with protecting, conserving, developing, and managing the natural and environmental resources in Pue ...
, Aguadilla has the most beaches on the island, with nineteen in total. Some of the beaches are considered among the best for surfing, like Surfer's Beach, Gas Chambers,
Crash Boat
Crash Rescue Boat is a name used in the United States to describe military high-speed offshore rescue boats, similar in size and performance to motor torpedo boats, used to rescue pilots and aircrews of crashed aircraft. During World War II th ...
ice skating
Ice skating is the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. Ice skating may be per ...
There are nine places in Aguadilla listed on the US
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
banyan
A banyan, also spelled "banian", is a fig that develops accessory trunks from adventitious prop roots, allowing the tree to spread outwards indefinitely. This distinguishes banyans from other trees with a strangler habit that begin life as a ...
tree (none of its parts touch the tree)
* , a fountain
* Christopher Columbus Monument – a monument which consists of a cross originally made of marble, and had to be rebuilt after the earthquake.
* , a park
*
* Fisherman's Monument
* , a square
* (The Waterfalls) Water Park (Closed after Hurricane Maria in 2017)
* Old Sugar Pier of Aguadilla
*
* Punta Borinquen Golf Course – an 18-hole golf course, originally built for President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
.
* Punta Borinquen Lighthouse and ruins
* Rafael Hernández Monument
* Rafael Hernández Square
* Ramey Skate Park, a skatepark at the Ramey Military Base
* Youth Fountain at Park
To stimulate local tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the ''Voy Turistiendo'' ("I'm Touring") campaign in 2021. The campaign featured a passport book with a page for each municipality. The Aguadilla passport page lists Crash Boat Beach, Survival Beach, Rompeolas Beach, and Peña Blanca Beach as places of interest for locals.
Beaches
There are 32 beaches in Aguadilla. Some of the more well-known beaches include:
* Balneario Municipal de Aguadilla (GNIS ID 1990599)
* Playa La Ruina (GNIS ID 1991881) also called Wilderness Beach or ''Las Ruinas'' ("The Ruins" in English)
* Playa Punta Borinquen (GNIS ID 1991891)
*
Crash Boat Beach
Crash Boat Beach or Crashboat Beach () on the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico is situated in the municipality of Aguadilla.
Description
Crash Boat Beach is halfway between the former Ramey Air Force Base (today's Aguadilla Airport) and Agua ...
* Survival Beach
* Surfer's Beach
* Rompeolas Beach / Rompeolas Beach North also known as
Culture
Festivals and events
Aguadilla celebrates its
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
festival in October. The is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.
Other festivals and events celebrated in Aguadilla include:
* Velorio de Reyes – Celebrated mostly in January, they are a religious ceremony held as gratitude to the
Three Kings
The biblical Magi from Middle Persian ''moɣ''(''mard'') from Old Persian ''magu-'' 'Zoroastrian clergyman' ( or ; singular: ), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, also the Three Magi were distinguished foreigners in the ...
for some answered prayer. They usually consist of hymns, prayers, and other religious expressions.
* Kite Festival – Held in April, it includes kiosks, music, and kite flying.
* Fiestas San Antonio – April
* Verbena de Corrales – May
* Beach Festival – June
* Festival del Atún – Celebrated in July, it is a festival dedicated to the fishing of the
tuna
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max len ...
.
* Festival de la Música – July
Sports
Aguadilla is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. The most notable are the Aguadilla Divas of the Female Superior Volleyball League, and the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League (Double-A). The Divas play their home games in the Luis T. Díaz Coliseum in Downtown Aguadilla from January to March, while the Sharks play their home games at Luis A. Canena Márquez Stadium from February to May.
Aguadilla also had a professional basketball team called the Aguadilla Sharks, that played for the BSN league. This team was merged into the Cangrejeros de Santurce in 1998.
Aguadilla is also a place where many famous baseball players originate from. There are plans for a future
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The ...
Minor League Hockey franchise for the city.
Communication
Radio
* WABA WABA La Grande 850AM is located in Aguadilla.
*
WWNA
WWNA (1340 AM, "Una 98.3") is a radio station licensed to serve Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The station is owned by Dominga Barreto Santiago, through licensee DBS Radio, Inc. It airs a Spanish Variety format.
The station was assigned the WWNA call ...
better known as Radio Una 1340AM is located in Aguadilla.
* WVOZ WAPA Radio frequency 1580AM is located in Aguadilla.
WSJP-LD
WSJP-LD (channel 30) is a dual Cozi TV/ Fox- affiliated television station licensed to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The station is owned by California-based Caribbean Broadcasting Network. Before the launch of The CW, WSJP was a dual affiliate of UPN ...
The 1887 census conducted by Spain showed Aguadilla had a population of 16,140.
According to the US 2010 Census, there were 60,949 people in the city. This represents a decrease of more than 3,000 from the 2000 Census. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was . The 2020 Census indicated the municipality has 55,101 residents representing a decline of over 5,000 residents.
As a whole, Puerto Rico is populated mainly by people from Creole or Spanish and European descent. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 83.6% of Aguadillanos identify as having
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
or
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
origin, 5.0% are
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
, 0.2% are
Amerindian
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples.
Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...
, 0.2%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1%
Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawa ...
/
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 8.2% were some other race, and 2.8% two or more races.
In March 2012, unemployment was at 16.2%, which is the same percent it was in November 2010.
Religion
Most Aguadillanos are Christian with a majority being
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
. Like most cities in Puerto Rico Aguadilla has their Catholic church located on the main square in their downtown. There is also a significant community of Protestants including
Pentecostals
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement
All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Aguadilla is Julio Roldán Concepción, of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD).
State
Most state agencies are based at the Government Center Building with the exception of the ''Corporación del Seguro del Estado'' (State Insurance Agency) and the ''Centro de Servicios al Conductor'' (Driver's Services Center). Most state agencies left their offices after the Senatorial District was taken away from Aguadilla.
Public safety
Aguadilla has its own police department, '' Policía Municipal Aguadilla'' (Aguadilla City Police Department), located in Aguadilla Pueblo. The A.C.P.D. only has jurisdiction in the municipality of Aguadilla and provide service and protection to local citizens and travelers alike.
Aguadilla also hosts the Puerto Rico Police Department Command for its Region. This region covers Aguada, Aguadilla, Isabela, Moca, Rincón and
San Sebastián
San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the ...
. It also hosts the PRPD Highway Patrol Division for its region, the FURA Division of the PRPD, the
US Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 202 ...
Center, PR National Guard,
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
, and the Border Patrol. It is also served by another PRPD station in San Antonio Village (Precinct 203 Ramey-San Antonio).
The city has a single correctional facility, Guerrero Correctional Institution, operated by the
Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The Puerto Rico Department of Correction and Rehabilitation () is the law enforcement executive department of the government responsible for structuring, developing, and coordinating the public policies in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territ ...
.
In recent years, Aguadilla has seen an increase in Type I crimes, which include murder, burglary, and
theft
Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for som ...
.
FBI satellite office
There is an
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
satellite office located in Aguadilla.
Mayors
Senate
The city belongs to the
Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV
Puerto Rico Senatorial District IV, also known as the Senatorial District of Mayagüez-Aguadilla, is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico. It is currently represented by Evelyn Vázquez and Luis Daniel Muñiz (both from the New ...
, which is represented by two Senators. In 2016, Evelyn Vázquez and Luis Daniel Muñiz were elected as District Senators.
Symbols
The municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.
Flag
The flag consists of two horizontal stripes of equal size. The upper one is blue and the lower gold, which are the predominant colors in the shield, which is placed in the center of it.
Coat of arms
Based on a design by Alberto Vadi, the coat of arms was organized by Herman Reichard Esteves and José J. Santa-Pinter under the direction of the Aguadilla municipal administration and was approved by the municipal assembly on June 29, 1972.
Education
Public schools
In all of the island's municipalities, public education is overseen by the
Puerto Rico Department of Education
The Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDOE; ) is one of the statewide public education system in the United States, with (Hawaii being the other). The PRDOE is the state education agency in charge of managing public schools in Puerto Rico as ...
San Sebastián
San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the ...
and a number of private institutions.
As of 2018-2019 the following public schools were operational in Aguadilla:
# Ana M. Javariz is a rural elementary school located in Urb. El Prado offering grades K-6 with about 215 students.
# Antonio Badillo Hernández is a rural, elementary school located in Montaña offering grades K–6 with about 327 students.
# Homero Rivera Sola is a rural elementary school located in Corrales barrio offering grades K–6 with about 153 students.
# José de Diego is a rural elementary school located in Res. José de Diego offering grades K–6 with about 242 students.
# Luis Muñoz Rivera is a rural elementary school located in Camaseyes barrio offering grades K–6 with about 206 students.
# Antonio Badillo Hernandez is a rural intermediate school located in Montaña barrio offering grades 7–9 with about 336 students.
# Ester Feliciano Mendoza is a rural intermediate school offering grades 6–8 with about 416 students.
# Benito Cerezo Vázquez is a rural high school located in Borinquen barrio offering grades 10–12 with about 435 students.
# Juan Suárez Pelegrina is a rural high school located in Montaña barrio offering grades 10–12 with about 715 students.
# Salvador Fuentes is a rural high school located in Ramey base offering grades 10–12 with about 288 students.
# Centro de Adiestramiento y Bellas Artes (CABA) is a school that specializes in the arts located in Ramey base. In 2016, it served about 500 students.
# Su Conchita Igartua de Suárez is a rural elementary school offering grades PreK–8, with about 768 students.
Higher education
Aguadilla hosts the following universities:
* Puerto Rico Aviation Maintenance Institute
* Aeronautical and Aerospace Institute of Puerto Rico (AAIPR)
*
University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla (UPRAG or UPR-Aguadilla) is a public university campus in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico.
In 2010 the campus went on strike as part of the 2010–2011 University ...
Interamerican University of Puerto Rico
The Inter American University of Puerto Rico (Spanish: ''Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico''; often abbreviated to ''UIPR'' or ''Inter'') is a private Christian university with its main campus in San Germán, Puerto Rico. It also has c ...
, Aguadilla Campus
* Automeca Technical College
* Puerto Rico Criminal Justice College, Aguadilla Campus (Puerto Rico Police Academy) Ramey Job Corps also serves those who want to attain a higher education.
Aguadilla Library System
There is a library in San Antonio Village and another in downtown Aguadilla (Aguadilla barrio-pueblo).
Health
There are two major medical facilities in Aguadilla.
* Hospital Buen Samaritano (Good Samaritan Hospital)
* Aguadilla Medical Services
* Sala de Urgencias San Francisco (road#2)
* Metro Pavia Clinic Aguadilla
Transportation
Air
Rafael Hernández Airport
Rafael Hernández International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Hernández) is a joint civil-military airport located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is named after the Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández Marín. It is ...
is located in the city of Aguadilla. In recent years, it has seen a resurgence as an international airport in the island, with several airlines planning flights to the US from Aguadilla.
Roads
Interstate
PR-2
Puerto Rico Highway 2 (PR-2) is a road in Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Ponce. At 156 miles (230 km) long, it is Puerto Rico's longest singled-signed highway.
The road runs counter-clockwise from San Juan to Ponce. ...
(Rafael Henández Highway). Plans are underway for a new expressway, an expansion to existing
Puerto Rico Highway 22
PR-22 (also part of unsigned Interstate PR2) is an long toll road in the north coast of Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Hatillo. The road is also known as the ''José de Diego Expressway'' (Spanish: ''Expreso José de Dieg ...
(José de Diego Expressway) from Hatillo and it will probably end at
Puerto Rico Highway 111
Puerto Rico Highway 111 (PR-111) is a highway connecting Aguadilla, Puerto Rico at Puerto Rico Highway 2 and Puerto Rico Highway 115 to Utuado, Puerto Rico at Puerto Rico Highway 140.
Route description
It is the main highway to Moca and San S ...
.
There are 13 bridges in Aguadilla.
Notable people from Aguadilla
Gallery
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, near Schoolyards Beach.jpg, Near Schoolyards Beach
Aguadilla city hall.jpg, Aguadilla City Hall
Aguadilla Banyan Treehouse.jpg, Banyan Treehouse
Aguadilla Campanitas de Cristal Fountain.jpg, Campanitas de Cristal Fountain
Aguadilla Cathedral San Carlos.jpg, Roman Catholic Parish Church San Carlos Borromeo
Aguadilla Columbus Cross.jpg, Columbus Cross
Aguadilla El Merendero.jpg, El Merendero
Aguadilla El Parterre.jpg, El Parterre
Aguadilla Fisherman's Monument.jpg, Fisherman's Monument
Aguadilla Jardin del Atlántico Square.jpg, Jardín del Atlántico Sq.
Aguadilla Paseo Miguel Garcia Mendez.jpg, Paseo Miguel García Méndez
Aguadilla Punta Borinquen Golf Course.jpg, Punta Borinquen Golf Course
Aguadilla Punta Borinquen Lighthouse.jpg, Punta Borinquen Lighthouse
Aguadilla Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins.jpg, Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins
Aguadilla Rafael Hernández Monument.jpg, Rafael Hernández Monument
Aguadilla Old Courthouse.jpg, Old Courthouse
Aguadilla Board Walk.jpg, Boardwalk
Aguadilla Crash Boat Beach.jpg, Crash Boat Beach
Cerro Echevarría Sector, Aguadilla barrio-pueblo.jpg, Cerro Echevarría Sector, Aguadilla barrio-pueblo
Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena.jpg, Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena
See also
*
History of Puerto Rico
The history of Puerto Rico began with the settlement of the Ortoiroid people between 430 BC and AD 1000. At the time of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1493, the dominant indigenous culture was that of the Taínos. The Taí ...
National Register of Historic Places listings in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...