Calle Méndez Vigo (Mendez Vigo Street) is a major thoroughfare in the western

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

municipality of Mayagüez with a length of about 1.22 miles (2 km). The street is oriented east–west with traffic running one-way westbound with the number of lanes going from one to two after the road passes

Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances (Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances Street) is the longest urban road in Mayagüez, serving as the Main Street of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. It corresponds with the former Calle Post (Mayagüez), Post Street's sou ...

(formerly ''Post Street'') in downtown Mayagüez. Some of the most important historical places in Mayagüez are located on this street: * E. Franco & Co (the house of the "Brazo Gitano Franco") * Escuela Mariano Riera Palmer * Iglesia Católica de Nuestra Señora del Carmen * Edificio Darlington * Parque Suau, Casa Gómez * Antiguo Hospital Ramírez * Casa Casals-Defilló * Edificio

Westernbank The W Holding Company was a financial holding corporation located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. On April 30, 2010, Westernbank, its wholly owned bank subsidiary, failed and its deposits and assets were seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corpo ...

* Iglesia Central Presbiteriana * Edificio la Palma * Edificio La Bolsa * Panadería y Repostería Ricomini * Municipal Historical Archives (Teatro Riera) * Teatro Balboa

History of the name

The street is named after

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 countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Santiago de Méndez Vigo, who was

Governor of Puerto Rico The governor of Puerto Rico () is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. Elected to a 4 year-term through popular vote by the residents of the archipelago and island, ...

during the early 1840s. The Great Fire of 1841 on January 30 destroyed much of the Villa; of the 700 houses in Mayagüez, only 40 remained. Governor Santiago Méndez Vigo was informed and he immediately headed towards Mayagüez on horseback with a few of his assistants."Mayagüez; Notas para su Historia"; by Silvia Aguilo Ramos (Author); Page: 76; Publisher: Model Offset Printing, San Juan (1984); Language: Spanish The governor brings with him 20,000 pesos in

silver coins Silver coins are one of the oldest mass-produced form of coinage. Silver has been used as a coinage metal since the times of the Greeks; their silver drachmas were popular trade coins. The ancient Persians used silver coins between 612–330 BC ...

to help the victims of the fire. The Villa of Mayagüez in a gratefulness to the Governor changes the name of the main street to Méndez Vigo. Before the street was called Calle Comercio (Commerce Street).Ricardo Rosas, Jr., "Fuegos Ocurridos en Mayagüez", Anuario de Las Fiestas Patronales, 1958

References

Streets in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico {{PuertoRico-road-stub

History of the name

See also

References