Boquerón is a
barrio in the municipality of
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo (, ) is a city and municipality situated on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico and forms part of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo metropolitan area as well as the larger Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area.
Hist ...
. Its population in 2010 was 5,373.
The village of
Boquerón, located on the
Boquerón Bay
Boquerón Bay (Spanish: ''Bahía de Boquerón'') is a bay of the Mona Passage located on the coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. El Poblado de Boquerón, or just Boquerón for short, located in the '' barrio'' of the same name, is the main settle ...
is one of the main tourist attractions in the southwestern part of the island.
In 2000, its population was 4,963.
History
Puerto Rico was ceded by
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
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 = (cloc ...
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
Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government of the United States. The various American territories differ from the U.S. states and tribal reservations as they are not sover ...
. 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, ...
conducted a
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Boquerón was 1,185.
People from the El Combate community in barrio Boquerón are known as ''mata con hacha'' ("those who kill with axes") based on an old folk tale about a fight over the ''salinas'', where those from Cabo Rojo fought with axes against people from the adjacent town of
Lajas. The latter apparently fought back by throwing stones and are thus known as ''tira piedras'' ("those who throw stones").
Features
The ''barrio'' is home to a village (
El Poblado de Boquerón
El Poblado de Boquerón (Spanish language, Spanish for ''the settlement of Boquerón, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Boquerón'') is a coastal village which represents the downtown or main urban nucleus of the ''Barrios of Puerto Rico, barrio'' (district ...
) and two
national wildlife refuges
National Wildlife Refuge System is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to c ...
. The
Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge
Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge (Spanish: ''Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de Cabo Rojo'') is an 1,836-acre National Wildlife Refuge located in southwestern Puerto Rico, in the municipality of Cabo Rojo. The refuge is a habitat for num ...
is a habitat for a number of native bird species, including the endangered
yellow-shouldered blackbird
The yellow-shouldered blackbird (''Agelaius xanthomus''), known in Puerto Rican Spanish as ''mariquita de Puerto Rico'' or ''capitán'', is a species of blackbird endemic to Puerto Rico. It has black plumage with a prominent yellow patch on the ...
, also known as ''mariquita de Puerto Rico'' or ''capitán''. The
Boqueron State Forest is one of seven state forests managed by 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 ...
.
According to local folklore, after the Puerto Rican pirate
Roberto Cofresí
Roberto Cofresí y Ramírez de Arellano (June 17, 1791 – March 29, 1825), better known as El Pirata Cofresí, was a pirate from Puerto Rico. He was born into a noble family, but the political and economic difficulties faced by the island as a c ...
shared some of his treasure with his family and friends, he would hide what was left over in a cave located in "Barrio Pedernales" which is just north of Boquerón Bay. Throughout the years no one has found any treasure in the cave.
The downtown of Boquerón known as is known for its gastronomy and its nightlife. It is home to many restaurants offering local, international, and fusion cuisine which feature the excellent seafood which Cabo Rojo is famous food. ''
El Poblado
El Poblado is the 14th commune in the metropolitan area of the city of Medellín, Colombia. According to a 2005 census the population was 94,704, distributed among its land area of 23 km2, and by the year 2015, it had a population of 128,8 ...
'' is also populated by bars for every preference from pool halls to holes in the wall many providing a variety of flavored mojitos and other mixed drinks. Outdoor karaoke is also a feature of Boquerón nightlife as cars are not permitted in the center of during the weekends, so karaoke spills out into the streets. There is a , a type of countryside inn, by the same name in Poblado. is also known for being LGBT friendly and hosts a growing
Pride Parade each year in June.
Boquerón beach is a public beach and resort managed by the Puerto Rican government. It is rated as one of the best
beaches in Puerto Rico along with
Luquillo Beach.
The beach was awarded
Blue Flag Beach status by the Foundation for Environmental Education.
is located in Boquerón.
Gallery
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse, PR-301, Boquerón, Cabo Rojo 00622, Puerto Rico - panoramio (1).jpg, View of ocean in Cabo Rojo
Playa Combate - panoramio.jpg, Combate Beach
View from Aquarius Vacation Club in Boquerón, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.jpg, View from Aquarius Vacation Club in Boquerón
Estación de Bomberos - Boquerón.jpg, Boquerón fire station
José at the USFWS Greenhouse in Boquerón (6499802917).jpg, José at the USFWS Greenhouse in Boquerón
Laguna Rincón en Cabo Rojo.jpg, Laguna Rincón
See also
*
List of communities in Puerto Rico
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boqueron, Cabo Rojo
Tourist attractions in Puerto Rico
Beaches of Puerto Rico
Barrios of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Gay villages