Aguada (; , ), originally San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada, is a

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 ori ...

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 go ...

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 ...

, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, east of Rincón, west of

Aguadilla Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla i ...

and Moca; and north of Añasco and Mayagüez. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aguada's population is spread over 17 ''barrios'' and Aguada Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city).

Etymology and nicknames

The name ''Aguada'' is a shortening of the town's original name San Francisco de Asís de la ''Aguada''. The word ''aguada'' literally translates to "watery" or "watered down" from Spanish, possibly a reference to the town's strategic importance as a port in the

Mona Passage The Mona Passage ( es, Canal de la Mona) is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama ...

and the Atlantic Ocean. The municipality has many nicknames: ''La Villa de Sotomayor'' ("Sotomayor's Villa") is a reference to one of the town's Spanish founders, Cristóbal de Sotomayor; ''La Ciudad del Descubrimiento'' ("City of the Discovery") is a reference to the possibility that

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

first landed in Puerto Rico at what is today the municipality's territory; ''El Pueblo Playero'' translates to "the beach town" and ''La Ciudad del Vaticano'' ("the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum The Holy See * The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...

's City") which references the town's early importance for

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

in the island.

History

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. Some sources say that

entered the island of

through Aguada on his second voyage in November 1493. In July 1510, Cristóbal de Sotomayor received control of the area from Juan Ponce de León and renamed the town Villa de Sotomayor. ↵ However, in 1511 the settlement was attacked and burned by the local Taínos. That same year, the Spanish crown ordered a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

be established in Puerto Rico, and the ''

Ermita de Espinar Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city g ...

'' was founded. The name of the area was then changed to San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada, since the

friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...

s were

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

. The monastery was finished in 1516. In 1526,

King Charles I of Spain Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) ...

officially founded the Aguada settlement. However, in 1529, Taínos attacked the monastery killing the friars and burning the settlement.Aguada, la Villa del Sotomayor
on Proyecto Salon Hogar The

Caribs “Carib” may refer to: People and languages *Kalina people, or Caribs, an indigenous people of South America **Carib language, also known as Kalina, the language of the South American Caribs *Kalinago people, or Island Caribs, an indigenous pe ...

, indigenous people of Puerto Rico, were believed to have practiced

polytheism Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the ...

. As the Spanish began to colonize the Caribbean area, they wanted to convert the natives to

. The Caribs destroyed a church of

Franciscans , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

in Aguada and killed five of its members in 1579. Still, Aguada resurfaced and became a stopover point for ships on their way to Spain from South America. On September 17, 1662, King

Charles II of Spain Charles II of Spain (''Spanish: Carlos II,'' 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700), known as the Bewitched (''Spanish: El Hechizado''), was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War o ...

emitted a Royal Decree declaring Aguada a "village" and assigning Juan López de Segura as First Lieutenant. In 1737,

Philip V Philip V may refer to: * Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC) * Philip V of France (1293–1322) * Philip II of Spain, also Philip V, Duke of Burgundy (1526–1598) * Philip V of Spain Philip V ( es, Felipe; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was ...

King of Spain , coatofarms = File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Spanish_Monarch.svg , coatofarms_article = Coat of arms of the King of Spain , image = Felipe_VI_in_2020_(cropped).jpg , incumbent = Felipe VI , incumbentsince = 19 Ju ...

, declared that all mail en route to

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

and other South American countries from Puerto Rico should exit from Aguada's ports, leading to the area's economic growth. Also, an increase in population has been attributed to possible desertions from foreign merchant ships. Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

under the terms of the

Treaty of Paris of 1898 The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898 ( fil, Kasunduan sa Paris ng 1898; es, Tratado de París de 1898), was a treaty signed by Spain and the United Stat ...

and became an unincorporated territory of the United States. In 1899, the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...

conducted its first census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Aguada was 10,581. In the early years of the 20th century, two disasters affected the town of Aguada. First, a huge fire in 1912 destroyed most of the town buildings, including the old

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

, which contained all the city archives. On October 11, 1918, at an earthquake known as the San Fermín earthquake destroyed the church and other structures. At Rio Culebrinas, 1000 kg blocks of limestone from the wrecked Columbus monument were carried inland to distances of by waves high. Hurricane María on September 20, 2017, triggered numerous landslides in Aguada, with its strong winds and heavy rain. Infrastructure and an estimated 8,000 homes in Aguada were damaged or destroyed. Two police officers died when they were caught in the flooded Culebrinas River.

Folklore

(The Aguada Shark Killer) is

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

that comes out of Aguada and was written around 1640. It tells of a young man who was accustomed to fighting sharks but was without his religious charm. When asked to demonstrate his shark-fighting capabilities to visiting Spanish dignitaries, he hesitated. All day and night he pondered whether he could fight a shark without his religious charm. Even though the Spaniards had increased their offer to 3 bars of gold the matador was hesitant. In the morning, as the shark came into the bay, the spectators who were gathered on the beach yelled in anticipation, and , as the young man was called, was unable to stop himself. He jumped into the open sea pursuing the shark and fought it with his bare hands. He was nearly killed and after receiving his prize of gold, vowed to never again fight a shark.

Geography

Aguada is located in the west coast of the island of

. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and

on the north, Moca on the east, Añasco on the south, and Rincón on the west. Aguada is part of the Coastal Plains of the West, which features alluvial and fertile terrain. Although the terrain is mostly plain, there are some mountains to the south and southeast.Aguada
on Enciclopedia de Puerto Rico Among the mountains located in Aguada are the Atalaya Peak, located within the limits of Aguada and Rincón. Also, San Francisco Mountain, which is popularly known as the birth point of the Cordillera Central, and Cerro Gordo, peaking at 853 feet (260 meters).

Water features

Aguada's hydrographic system is composed of the Río Culebrinas,

Río Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio ...

, Río Cañas, Río Culebra, Río Guayabo, and Río Ingenio. All of these rivers flow into the

. There are ten beaches in Aguada. Aguada has an area of 45.55 square miles and 14.62% are water bodies.

Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Aguada is subdivided into barrios: #

Aguada barrio-pueblo Aguada barrio-pueblo is a small barrio and the administrative center (seat) of Aguada, a municipality of Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 1,324. Aguada barrio-pueblo has two subdivisions: California and Rosario. As was customary in Spain, ...

# Asomante # Atalaya # Carrizal # Cerro Gordo # Cruces # Espinar # Guanábano # Guaniquilla # Guayabo # Jagüey # Lagunas # Mal Paso # Mamey # Marías #

Naranjo Naranjo is a Pre-Columbian Maya city in the Petén Basin region of Guatemala. It was occupied from about 500 BC to 950 AD, with its height in the Late Classic Period. The site is part of Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park. The city lies along the ...

# Piedras Blancas #

Sectors

Barrios (which are roughly comparable to

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 Aguada: and in Guanaquilla barrio, in , and .

Demographics

In 2020, the population of Aguada decreased by 9.1% to 38,136. In 2010, the population of Aguada was 41,959, which represented a small decrease from the 42,042 registered in the 2000 Census. Until its decrease in 2010, Aguada's population had been increasing steadily. According to the 2010 Census, 86.6% of the population identifies themselves as White, and 5.3% as Black. Also, according to the census, the population is equally divided by gender (49.1% are males, while 50.1% are females). Finally, 23.7% of the population is under 18 years old. The next biggest percentage of population (20.8%) is between 35 and 49 years old.

Economy

Historically, the economy of Aguada was mostly based on the processing of

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...

. The Central Coloso, located in the Guanábano barrio of Aguada, was one of the most important refineries in the island. It was also the last one to cease operations, officially closing in 2003. Aside from sugar mills, there was also a cattle and wood industry. As of 2012, the economy relies mostly on small businesses and manufacturing. In late 2014, the government announced a $172 million deal with private investors to restart sugar production in Puerto Rico for the purpose of supplying the island rum producers with up to 56% of the molasses needed. The plan involved building a new processing plant on the grounds of the old Coloso Sugar Cane factory in Aguada.

Tourism

Aguada 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 Aguada's town square and beaches as its most notable touristic attractions. It also mentions landmarks like the Espinar Hermitage Ruins and a children playground.

Landmarks and places of interest

Museo de Antiguedades, Aguada, Puerto Rico

* Aguada Museum (located in a former railroad station building) * Church of San Francisco de Asís *

Coloso Sugar Cane Refinery Central Coloso, also known as Coloso Sugar Cane Refinery, was a long-running sugarcane refinery in Aguada, Puerto Rico, Aguada, Puerto Rico. The Sugar refinery, refinery was established in late 19th century becoming one of the biggest sugar empor ...

* La Cruz de Culebrinas * Pico de Piedra Beach * Playa Espinar * Loma Linda Stables * Aguada transmission station, the tallest man-made structure in Puerto Rico * The Aguada Pyramid The Puente de Coloso, built in 1928, is an 85-ft-long bridge which crosses over the Culebrinas River, and is located between the Guanábano and Espinar barrios in Aguada. It is recognized for its historic significance.

Human resources

Education

Like all other municipalities in the island, 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 ...

. In 2020, there were 11 public schools in Aguada, most of them in the elementary level.

Public health

Although there are no hospitals in Aguada, the town does have a small emergency medical center located near the town center.

Culture

Festivals and events

Aguada 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 in honor of

Saint Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a Mysticism, mystic Italian Catholic Church, Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most vener ...

that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment. Other festivals and events celebrated in Aguada include: ( Three Kings Festival) which is celebrated in January at park. It is an activity dedicated to children of Aguada and is celebrated with gifts, music, clowns, and raffles. (Beach Festival) is celebrated on June 24, the day of (

Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

), at the Beach. (Arts & Craft Fair) takes place from November 17–20 at the . Every year in November, a parade called takes place to remember the discovery of Puerto Rico by

. In this parade the people walk from the Catholic church in the town square to the (Cross of Columbus) next to the beach in Guaniquilla. is held on the last weekend of May in the Atalaya barrio, with exhibitions of different goat breeds and competitions. is a one-day annual, cultural activity that takes place in January at the , with local music. (Carvers' Meeting) is a one-day annual celebration that takes place the first weekend of July at the , to commemorate the birthday of Don Zoilo Cajigas a carver of wooden saints. Carved wooden saints are on exhibition and for sale.

Sports

Los Santeros de Aguada is the name of Aguada's former basketball team.

Transportation

The main road leading to Aguada is PR-115, if you're coming from the north. If you're traveling from the south, you have to take

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. ...

. There are 18 bridges in Aguada.

Government

Mayors

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The mayor of Aguada is Christian Cortes. This is a list of registered and known mayors of Aguada, until present time.

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 ...

of Mayagüez-Aguadilla, which is represented by two Senators.

House of Representatives

The city is represented in the 18th District which is represented by one representative.

Local Legislature

All municipalities have a local legislature.

Symbols

The has an official flag and coat of arms.

Flag

Aguada's flag was designed by Pedro Vélez Adróvar. It features three main colors: white, red, and yellow. White represents purity and the waters of Culebrinas River. Over the white field, a blue triangle with a white dove is featured. The dove is the symbol of peace that unites the towns. Red symbolizes the

martyrdom A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...

Franciscan friars The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

from Espinal. Over the red field, there's a black cross which represents the birth of Christianity in Puerto Rico. The name of "Aguada" is also above the cross. The yellow field represents happiness and hospitality of the residents. Over the yellow field, there's a white star which symbolizes the hope of the town for more development and progress.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms is divided into two main fields. The upper field features a cross, with the interlaced arms of Christ and Father Saint Francis. It is taken from the badge of the

Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...

. It represents the motto "Pax et Bonum", which means "peace and good will between man and the Redeemer". The sun below the cross symbolizes the light that brightens the world. The lower part of the shield consists of five ships that symbolize the

second voyage of Christopher Columbus Between 1492 and 1504, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus led four Spanish transatlantic maritime expeditions of discovery to the Americas. These voyages led to the widespread knowledge of the New World. This breakthrough inaugurated the pe ...

, who allegedly arrived at the western "Guaniquilla" coast on November 19, 1493, to gather water. Although the precise location is disputed, the Aguada wells () is a plausible site for the actual event. The mural crown in the upper part of the shield signifies the title of village, that was given to this town by

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

in 1778. The official colors of the shield are red, which stands for the fraternal love in Aguada; gold, for the Spanish royalty in Puerto Rico; green, for the island's hope and fertility; black, for the wooden beam of the cross; blue, for the sky and the kingship of God; and white, for Christ's purity and the purity of the people of the town toward the cultural patrimony.

Nicknames

Aguada has various nicknames, most of them pertaining to its origins. One is ''"La Villa del Sotomayor"'' ("Sotomayor Village"), which was the name originally given to it by Cristóbal de Sotomayor during its colonization in 1510. It is also called ''"Villa de San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada"'', which was the name given to the region when the Franciscan friars took control of it. Aguada is also called ''"La Ciudad del Descubrimiento"'' ("City of the Discovery") in reference to it being one of the possible places where

entered the island. Other nicknames are ''"El Pueblo Playero"'' ("The Beach Town") for its many beaches, and ''"La Ciudad del Vaticano"'' ("The Vatican City") for being considered the "capital of

" in the island.

Anthem

Aguada's anthem was written by Rolando Acevedo Lorenzo.Aguada
on Salon Hogar

Notable "Aguadeños"

Ismael Miranda Ismael Miranda, also known as ''El Niño Bonito de la Salsa'' ("The Pretty Boy of Salsa") (born February 20, 1950) is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Early years Miranda (birth name: Ismael Miranda Carrero ) was born in Aguada, Puerto Rico ...

– Salsa Singer * Guillermo "Willie" Hernandez – former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) pitcher and winner of the 1984 American League MVP and Cy Young Abarrios. * Andrés Torres – Major League Baseball (MLB) player (San Francisco Giants) * Zoilo Cajigas Sotomayor –

Wood carving Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation ...

artist, especially religious figurines

Gallery

ISS053-E-7195 - View of Puerto Rico.jpg, Photo shows Aguada, Aguadilla and Isabela taken from the ISS Expedition 53 Coloso y los Cayures en Aguada, Puerto Rico.jpg, Remains of the Coloso sugarmill in Aguada

References

External links

Puerto Rico Government Directory – Aguada

Aguada Municipality Brochure (Spanish)

Photos of Aguada

Aguada Municipality on Facebook
{{Authority control Aguada, Puerto Rico Municipalities of Puerto Rico Populated coastal places in Puerto Rico Populated places established in 1508 Aguadilla–Isabela–San Sebastián metropolitan area 1508 establishments in the Spanish Empire Caribbean culture North American folklore Folklore by country Latin American folklore Folklore by region