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Fajardo (, ) is a town and municipality -Fajardo Combined Statistical Area. Fajardo is the hub of much of the recreational boating in Puerto Rico and a popular launching port to Culebra,
Vieques Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ...
, and the
U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
and
British Virgin Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = Territorial song , song = "Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands" , image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg , map_caption = , mapsize = 290px , image_map2 = Brit ...
. It is also home to the largest marina in the Caribbean, called Puerto del Rey. The town contains various hotels and inns. Offshore, near Fajardo, a few islets can be found. These are Icacos, Isla Palomino, Palominito, and Diablo, among other uninhabited coral islands and barrier reefs.


History

Fajardo was founded in 1760, 1773 or 1774 (depending on the authority) as Santiago de Fajardo. It was one of the locations used by the American troops to invade Puerto Rico. On August 1, 1898 the
USS Puritan USS ''Puritan'' may refer to the following ships of the United States Navy: * was a single-turret monitor that was never commissioned. She remained in the docks until 1874 when she was broken up and her name transferred to a new vessel. * was an ...
under the command of Captain Frederic W. Rodgers, was sailing by the coastline of the city of Fajardo, when Rogers noticed the Faro de Las Cabezas de San Juan (Cape San Juan lighthouse) which was supposed to be the landing site for the US Army in Puerto Rico. Rodgers ordered some of his men ashore, which included Puerto Rican volunteers, with the mission of posting the
American flag The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the ca ...
atop the lighthouse. On November 14, 1824, in what was dubbed the "Foxhardo" Affair, a US Naval Officer named David Porter went ashore in Fajardo with 200 seamen and marines, threatening to destroy Fajardo because one of his men had been arrested in Puerto Rico. For taking this action without US approval, Porter was later court-martialed. 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 became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Fajardo was 16,782. On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. In Fajardo, the hurricane triggered numerous landslides with its strong winds and significant amount of rainfall.


Geography

Fajardo is a coastal municipality with a number of islets. *
Fajardo River Fajardo River ( es, Río Fajardo) is a river of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. It crosses Ceiba and Fajardo. It is 16.35 miles long. It is a scenic river with pools, rapids, an extensive tropical forest. Gallery PR-971 Puente entre Fajardo y Ceiba en ...
*Aguas Buenas Gorge, Fajardo Gorge, Juan Diego Gorge and the Mata Redonda Gorge *Aguas Prietas and Grande lagoons


Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Fajardo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as . #
Cabezas Cabezas may refer to: Surname * Bryan Cabezas, Ecuadorian football player *Carlos Cabezas, Spanish basketball player * Luis Carlos Cabezas, Colombian footballer *Omar Cabezas, Nicaraguan author, revolutionary and politician * Salvador Cabezas, ret ...
(Las Croabas) # Demajagua #
Fajardo barrio-pueblo Fajardo barrio-pueblo is a barrio and the administrative center (seat) of Fajardo, a municipality of Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 13,709. As was customary in Spain, in Puerto Rico, the municipality has a barrio called ''pueblo'' whic ...
# Florencio #
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 ...
# Quebrada Fajardo # Quebrada Vueltas # Río Arriba #
Sardinera Sardinera is a barrio in the municipality of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 1,190. 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 became a ...


Sectors

Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions) and subbarrios, in turn, are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (''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. 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 Fajardo: Obrera neighborhood, Roosevelt neighborhood, Mansión del Sapo, Maternillo, Media Luna, Sector Camacho, Vevé Calzada, and Vieques en el Aire.


Tourism

Fajardo is a tourist destination, especially among local tourists, because of its
seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus ...
, hotels, closeness to the small islands of Palomino, Icacos and Palominito, and the many daily trips that are available to
Vieques Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ...
and Culebra, both by boat and by the four airlines that served Fajardo Airport (now closed): Air Culebra,
Air St. Thomas Air St. Thomas was an airline based on the island of St. Thomas, in the United States Virgin Islands. It operated regular and charter passenger services. Its main base was Cyril E. King Airport, St Thomas.Flight International 27 March 2007 It cease ...
, Isla Nena Air and Vieques Air Link. Fajardo has 46 beaches. Fajardo's beaches are bounded by calm, clear water ideal for
snorkeling Snorkeling ( British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped breathing tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, ...

Seven Seas Beach
offers plentiful water sports facilities, offshore points for sailing, snorkeling and plenty of
scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...
. Fajardo is also home to one of the fe
Bioluminescent Lagoons
in the world. Nightly trips are offered by kayak by local companies who give educational tours.


Landmarks and places of interest

* Las Cabezas de San Juan Light House - One of the oldest lighthouses in Puerto Rico. Only one used for nautical reasons in the entire island. *
Laguna Grande Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for the town of Elsino ...
- One of the few
Bioluminescent Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some bi ...
bays in the world that glow and offer
night kayaking tours
all year round. * Puerto del Rey Marina - Biggest marina in the Caribbean. * U.S. Customs House - Constructed in 1930 still in use by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection. * Santiago Apostol Cathedral *El Conquistador, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. - One of Puerto Rico's most luxurious resorts, complete with its own private, narrow gauge funicular railway connecting its main hotel building with its marina. It was closed in 2017 after Hurricane Maria, and is scheduled to reopen in Fall 2020.
Seven Seas Beach
- Classified Blue Flag for its sanitary health guarantees. * Las Cabezas de San Juan Reserve - Home to mangroves and to the
lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark ...
. * Fajardo Port - Used by locals and tourists to visit the island municipalities of
Vieques Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ...
and Culebra. *The main town square - A colonial-style town square in the downtown. *Old Fajardo Sugar Cane Refinery *Isleta Marina * Las Croabas Natural Reserve *Bioluminescent Bay Fajardo *Las Croabas Recreational Park *Hipolito Robles Sports Complex *Icacos, Palomino and Palominito Cays (islets
Island Water Taxi


Economy


Industry

Electrical components, metal work, furniture manufacturing. Fajardo is also home to pharmaceutical and bio-sciences companies. Due to its rich ports and closeness to smaller islands, Fajardo is also known for its fishing industries.


Culture


Festivals and events

Fajardo celebrates its patron saint festival in July. 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 Fajardo include: *Bicycletada Fajardeña - April *Kite Festival - April *Kelly Cup Sailboat Regata - April * Bomba & Plena Festival - May *Paradise Fiesta - August *Cocolía Festival - November


Sports

Fajardo Soccer Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in
Fajardo Fajardo (, ) is a town and municipality -Fajardo Combined Statistical Area. Fajardo is the hub of much of the recreational boating in Puerto Rico and a popular launching port to Culebra, Vieques, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It is ...
, Puerto Rico, 35 miles east of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU).
The 3,800 capacity stadium was developed at a cost of $3.9M, and opened December 12, 2015 and is home venue of Puerto Rico Sol. Fajardo in the past was home to a National Superior Basketball; Baloncesto Superior Nacional BSN
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team, the Fajardo Cariduros or as they are known in the Island Cariduros de Fajardo.
George Torres Georgie Torres Dougherty (born October 15, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player. He is a well known former BSN basketball player. Torres broke the record for the most points scored in a career at that league, with over 15,80 ...
,
Mario Morales Mario Morales Micheo (born November 13, 1957) is a former Puerto Rican basketball player. He is known as a.k.a. "Quijote" Morales for his ability to conquer both scoring and team championships in Puerto Rico's BSN league. He is the father of Ev ...
and
Mario Butler Mario Alberto Butler Graham (born January 15, 1957) is a Panamanian retired professional basketball player. Butler spent most of his career playing in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. At , he played center and was known fo ...
were three of the most famous players to play for that franchise. In 2007, the team returned once again to the BSN. The team known as the "Titanes de Morovis" was moved to Fajardo, and was renamed "Cariduros de Fajardo". Unlike the NBA and other sports leagues in the United States, Puerto Rican franchises rarely leave the original name of the franchise when they move to a different city. Once, there was a basketball team for the Puerto Rican Basketball League known as the "Conquistadores de Fajardo". Fajardo also has a AA Amateur Baseball Team Los Cariduros de Fajardo and have won over 10 sectional championships, 3 time national runners-up in 1974, 2003 and 2005, and 3 times national champions in 1954, 2004 and 2010.


Demographics


Government

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Fajardo is Aníbal Meléndez Rivera, of the New Progressive Party (PNP). He was elected at the 1988 general elections. The city belongs to the
Puerto Rico Senatorial district VIII Puerto Rico Senatorial District VIII, also known as the Senatorial District of Carolina, is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico. It is currently represented by Henry Neumann and Nitza Morán (both from the New Progressive Party ...
, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, Pedro A. Rodríguez and
Luis Daniel Rivera Luis Daniel Rivera Filomeno is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Rivera was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012. Rivera was born in Carolina. He has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. Rivera h ...
were elected as District Senators.


Transportation

There are 20 bridges in Fajardo. Diego Jiménez Torres Airport was Fajardo's airport and handled commercial airline flights to the city, but it was permanently closed in 2015.


Symbols

The has an official flag and coat of arms.


Flag

Fajardo's flag is a tricolor triband. The upper band is gules (red), symbolizing the color of the shield's border. Silver (white), the center band, stands for the color of the main pieces that appear in the shield and the crown. Azure (blue), the lower band, represents the color of the sky and the sea of Fajardo. Centered is the coat of arms of the village (villa) in natural colors.


Coat of arms

The coat of arms is formed as a square with a rounded base and stamped at the top with a crown mural of three towers. It is supported by two dolphins, and underneath the base a banner with the inscription “Santiago de Fajardo”.


Notable Fajardeños

* Roberto Angleró - Music composer and singer *
Carlos Arroyo Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez (born July 30, 1979) is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player, and reggaeton singer. Arroyo had previously played in the National Basketball Association with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Ut ...
- Basketball Player * Antonio R. Barceló - Politician & The First President of the Puerto Rico Senate. * Eugenio S. Belaval - Legislator * General Antonio Valero de Bernabé - Fought with Simón Bolívar. *
Norma Candal Norma Daniela Candal Penedo (April 10, 1927 – February 5, 2006), was a Puerto Rican actress and comedian who was best known for her role as Petunia on ''La criada malcriada''. Early years Norma Daniela Candal Penedo was born in 1927 in Fajar ...
- Comedian *
Ivonne Coll Ivonne Coll Mendoza (born June 18, 1947) is a Puerto Rican actress. She was Miss Puerto Rico in 1967 and competed in the Miss Universe pageant the same year. She later became an actress, appearing in films such as ''The Godfather Part II'' and ' ...
- Actress * Héctor Cotto - Athlete * Emilio Belaval Maldonado - Served as Associate Justice for the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. * John John Molina - Boxer * Pedro Rosa Nales - TV reporter * Dr. Antonia Coello de Novelo - Former Surgeon General of the United States. *
Josefina Barceló Bird de Romero Josefina Barceló Bird de Romero This name uses Spanish marriage naming customs; the first two are the maiden family name ''"Barceló Bird"'' and the second or matrimonial family name is ''"Romero"''. (February 14, 1901 — April 15, 1979) was a ...
- Politician * Marquita Rivera - first actress from Puerto Rico to appear in a major Hollywood motion picture. * Peter John Ramos - Basketball Player *
Carlos Rivera Carlos Rivera Guerra, better known as Carlos Rivera (born March 15, 1986), is a Mexican singer. He rose to fame by winning the third generation of '' La Academia''. Rivera has released four studio albums and participated in six theatre product ...
- Professional Baseball Player * José Pérez - Actor * Ashley Cariño - Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022


Gallery

Condos on Isleta Marina, a private island of Fajardo, Puerto Rico.jpg, Condos on Isleta Marina, a private island of Fajardo Paved walkway and building in Puerto Rico.jpg, Paved walkway and building in Fajardo Beach in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.jpg, Beach in Fajardo Funicular at El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.jpg, Funicular at El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo Pier at Cabezas, Fajardo, Puerto Rico.jpg, Pier at Cabezas Fajardo Las Croabas 2.jpg, Las Croabas


See also

* Battle of Fajardo
Bio Bay Night Kayaking Tour
* Did you know-Puerto Rico? *
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 Taín ...
* List of Puerto Ricans


References


External links


Biobay FajardoHistoric Places in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
{{Authority control Municipalities of Puerto Rico Fajardo metropolitan area Populated places established in 1772