Humacao () 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 go ...
in
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 eastern coast of the island, north of
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
; south of
Naguabo; east of
Las Piedras; and west of
Vieques Passage. Humacao is spread over 12 barrios and
Humacao Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The region of what is now Humacao belonged to the
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 ...
region of Humaka, which covered a portion of the southeast coast of Puerto Rico. The region was led by cacique
Jumacao
Jumacao a.k.a. Jumaca (born ''c''. 1480s) was the Taíno Cacique (Chief) of the area in Puerto Rico named after him (now spelled Humacao).
Before and after the arrival of the Conquistadors
The Taínos, who lived in Puerto Rico long before the ar ...
(also referred to as "Macao"). The Taíno settlement was located on the shores of what is called now the
Humacao River. It is believed that the Taíno chief Jumacao was the first "cacique" to learn to read and write in Spanish, since he wrote a letter to the
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 ...
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
complaining about how the
Governor of the island wasn't complying with their peace agreement. In the letter, Jumacao argued that their people were virtually prisoners of Spain. It is said that King Charles was so moved by the letter that he ordered the Governor to obey the terms of the treaty.
["El agua del paraíso (Spanish Edition)"; by: Benito Pastoriza Iyodo; Publisher: Xlibris (April 21, 2008); ; ]
During the early 16th century, the region was populated by
cattle ranchers. However, since most of them officially resided in
San Juan, a settlement was never officially organized. At the beginning of the 18th century, specifically around 1721–1722, the first official settlement was constituted in the area. Most of the residents at the time were immigrants from the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
, but due to attacks from
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 ...
,
pirates
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
, and other settlers, some of them moved farther into the island in what is now
Las Piedras.
Still, some settlers remained and by 1776, historian
Fray Íñigo Abbad y Lasierra
Fray Íñigo Abbad y Lasierra (1745–1813), born in Estadilla, Spain, was a Benedictine monk and the first historian to extensively document Puerto Rico's history, nationality, and culture.
Biography
Abbad arrived in Puerto Rico in 1771 at age ...
visited the area and wrote about the population there. By 1793, the church was recognized as parish and the settlement was officially recognized as town.
By 1894, Humacao was recognized as a city. Due to its thriving population, buildings and structures like a hospital, a theater, and a prison were built in the city. In 1899, after the United States invasion of the island as a result 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 ...
, the municipality of
Las Piedras was annexed to Humacao. This lasted until 1914, when the
Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico
The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico ( es, Asamblea Legislativa de Puerto Rico) is the territorial legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, responsible for the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico. The Assembly is a bic ...
voted on splitting both towns again.
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 = (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 a territory of the
United States
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 territorie ...
. 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 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 incl ...
of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Humacao was 14,313.
Humacao was led by mayor
Marcelo Trujillo Panisse
Marcelo Trujillo Panisse (April 30, 1935 – September 15, 2019) was a Puerto Rican politician, who was elected to four terms as mayor of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Trujillo was affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and served as mayor ...
for over a decade. A basketball star in his early years, Trujillo has pushed for the development of infrastructure facilities for sports and the fine arts in the city. In March 2008, a new
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 lette ...
diocese was established as the
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 ...
-Humacao diocese. Its first bishop is Monsignor
Eusebio 'Chebito' Ramos Morales, a
maunabeño who was rector of the Humacao's main parish in the 1990s.
In 2019, Luis Raul Sanchez became interim mayor of Humacao after Marcelo Trujillo Panisse died in September 2019.
On September 20, 2017
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was a deadly Saffir–Simpson scale#Category 5, Category 5 Tropical cyclone, hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the wo ...
struck Puerto Rico. Punta Santiago in Humacao saw a six-foot storm surge. The hurricane caused destruction of homes and infrastructure.
Geography
Humacao is located in the southeast coast 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 ...
. It is bordered by the municipalities of
Naguabo to the north,
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
to the south, and
Las Piedras to the west. The Atlantic Ocean borders the city in the east. Humacao is located in the region of the Eastern Coastal Plains, with most of its territory being flat. There are minor elevations to the southwest, like Candelero Hill, and northwest, like Mabú. Humacao's territory covers 45 square miles (117 km
2).
Two islands belong to Humacao:
Cayo Santiago
Cayo Santiago, also known as Santiago Island, Isla de los monos (or Island of the monkeys), is located at , to the east of ''Punta Santiago'', Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Geography
The island measures approximately , north–south and east–west, ...
and
Cayo Batata
Cayo Batata is an uninhabited, grass-covered island, located at , east of ''Morro de Humacao'', the closest mainland feature (which is immediately south of the mouth of Río Humacao), in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Geography
The island is rectangular ...
.
Water features
Humacao's hydrographic system consists of many rivers and creeks like
Humacao
Humacao () is a city and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern coast of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Naguabo; east of Las Piedras; and west of Vieques Passage. Humacao is spread over 12 barrios and Humacao Pueblo (the ...
,
Antón Ruíz
Antón Ruíz is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,496.
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 becam ...
, and
Candelero. Some of its creeks are Frontera, Mariana, and Del Obispo, among many others.
In 2019, updated flood zone maps show that Humacao is extremely vulnerable to flooding, along with
Toa Baja
Toa Baja (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over five barrios, including Toa Baja Pueblo (the downtown area and ...
,
Rincón,
Barceloneta, and
Corozal. Located where most cyclones enter the island, Humacao is one of the most vulnerable areas of Puerto Rico.
Humacao was working on flood mitigation plans and shared that its barrios located on the coast;
Antón Ruíz
Antón Ruíz is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,496.
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 becam ...
,
Punta Santiago,
Río Abajo
Río Abajo is a corregimiento within Panama City, in Panamá District, Panamá Province, Panama with a population of 26,607 as of 2010. Its population as of 1990 was 33,155; its population as of 2000 was 28,714. It is a West Indian neighborhoo ...
,
Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to:
Places Canada
*Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista”
*Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
*Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...
and
Candelero Abajo
Candelero Abajo is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 5,135.
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 be ...
barrios, are extremely vulnerable to flooding and destruction.
Barrios
Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Humacao 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.
#
Antón Ruíz
Antón Ruíz is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,496.
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 becam ...
#
Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to:
Places Canada
*Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista”
*Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
*Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...
#
Candelero Abajo
Candelero Abajo is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 5,135.
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 be ...
#
Candelero Arriba
Candelero Arriba is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,596.
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 ...
#
Cataño
#
Collores
#
Humacao barrio-pueblo
Humacao barrio-pueblo is a barrio and the administrative center ( seat) of Humacao, a municipality of Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 3,862.
As was customary in Spain, in Puerto Rico, the municipality has a barrio called ''pueblo'' whic ...
#
Mabú
Mabú is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 8,045.
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 an u ...
#
Mambiche
Mambiche is a barrio in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 2,387.
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 an ...
#
Mariana
Mariana may refer to:
Literature
* ''Mariana'' (Dickens novel), a 1940 novel by Monica Dickens
* ''Mariana'' (poem), a poem by Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
* ''Mariana'' (Vaz novel), a 1997 novel by Katherine Vaz
Music
*"Mariana", a so ...
#
Punta Santiago
#
Río Abajo
Río Abajo is a corregimiento within Panama City, in Panamá District, Panamá Province, Panama with a population of 26,607 as of 2010. Its population as of 1990 was 33,155; its population as of 2000 was 28,714. It is a West Indian neighborhoo ...
#
Tejas
Sectors
Barrios (which are like
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 ...
)
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
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 Humacao: Antón Ruiz, Obrera neighborhood, Cotto Mabú-Fermina, Buena Vista, Parcelas Aniseto Cruz in Candelero Abajo, Parcelas Martínez in Candelero Abajo, Cataño, Punta Santiago, Verde Mar, and Cangrejos.
Demographics
Tourism
There are 8 beaches in Humacao including . Beach in Humacao is considered a dangerous beach.
Due to its location on the coast and relative short distance from the capital, Humacao is a frequent stop for tourists. One of the most notable tourist mainstays is the
Palmas del Mar
Palmas del Mar is a beach resort community consisting of a country club, golf courses, tennis, a beach club, residences and a hotel. It is located in the municipality of Humacao, Puerto Rico, on the southeast corner of the island.
Features
Set i ...
resort, which is the island's largest resort. This megaresort is composed of over of land and occupies the entire southeastern portion of the municipal territory. The resort contains over 20 tennis courts, two world-class golf courses, beaches, several restaurants and a riding center.
Aside from the beaches at the Palmas del Mar resort, Humacao has other beaches. The most popular ones are
Punta Santiago, Buena Vista, Punta Candelero, and El Morrillo.
The Candelero Beach Resort, built in 1973, with its 107 rooms, 25 which are suites, was purchased and revitalized by the Suarez family.
Other landmarks found in Humacao are the Astronomical Observatory in the
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
The University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus (UPRH or UPR-Humacao) is a public college in Humacao, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico. Its campus is home to the UPRH Astronomical Observatory and the college graduates more m ...
,
Casa Roig, the Guzmán Ermit, the Humacao Wildlife Refuge, and the
Church Dulce Nombre de Jesús.
In the 1980s, 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 ...
established the
Humacao Nature Reserve
Humacao Nature Reserve (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural de Humacao''), or the Punta Santiago Nature Reserve, is a nature reserve located in the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico, between the municipalities of Humacao ( Punta Santiago) and Naguabo ( R ...
(also called the Punta Santiago Nature Reserve) in the municipality. The
Palmas del Mar Tropical Forest is also located in Humacao.
Economy
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
in Humacao employs under 100 people and reopened its doors in March 2019. The store had been shuttered since
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was a deadly Saffir–Simpson scale#Category 5, Category 5 Tropical cyclone, hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the wo ...
destroyed it on September 19, 2017.
Culture
Festivals and events
Humacao 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 December. The is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.
The ''
Breadfruit
Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of ''Artocarpus camansi'' originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippi ...
Festival'' (''Festival de la Pana'') is celebrated during the first weekend of September. It is organized by the ''Mariana's Recreational and Cultural Association'' (ARECMA), a community organization of the Mariana barrio. Its main theme is about the preparation of dishes whose main ingredient is breadfruit. Typical Puerto Rican music, crafts and foods as well as other cultural and sports activities can also be enjoyed. Most years it has been held at one of the highest elevations within the sector with views to Humacao,
Las Piedras,
Naguabo,
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
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
.
is an urban art festival held in November.
Other festivals and events celebrated in Humacao include:
*
Three Kings’ Day- January
* Festival of the Cross – May
* Flat-bottom Boat Festival – June
*
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox, Anglican Communion, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She b ...
Festival (patron saint of musicians) – November
* Catholic Church Community Festival – December
Sports
The ''Grises'' basketball team (''
Humacao Grays''), founded in 2005, belongs to Puerto Rico's
National Superior Basketball
The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation.
The Baloncesto Superior Naci ...
league. In 2010, they changed their name to the
Caciques de Humacao
Caciques de Humacao was a professional basketball team based in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The club competed in the National Superior Basketball (, BSN).
History
In 2010, Antonio "Tonin" Casillas, owner of the Grises de Humacao, decided to give the f ...
. They play at the new
Humacao Coliseum.
The ''Grises'' is also a Double A class amateur baseball team that has won one championship (1951) and four time runners-up in (1950, 1960, 1965 and 1967).
Government
Like all municipalities in
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 ...
, Humacao is administered by a mayor. In June 2022, Julio Geigel was elected mayor of Humacao. Before then Luis Raul Sanchez got into office, after Marcelo Trujillo Panisse died in September 2019.
The former mayor was
Marcelo Trujillo, of the
Popular Democratic Party (PPD) was elected at the
2000 general election and served for many years. In the 2020 general election Luis Raul was defeated by Reinaldo (Rey) Vargas Rodríguez (PNP) by a margin of 4 points. However, on May 5, 2022, Vargas was arrested by the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
on corruption, bribery, and extortion charges. and was subsequently removed from his position.
The city belongs to the
Puerto Rico Senatorial district VII
Puerto Rico Senatorial District VII, also known as the Senatorial District of Humacao, is one of the eight senatorial districts of Puerto Rico. It is currently represented by José Luis Dalmau and Miguel Laureano (from the Popular Democratic Pa ...
, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012,
Jorge Suárez and
José Luis Dalmau
José Luis Dalmau Santiago (born September 19, 1966) is an attorney and politician. He is the current President of the Senate of Puerto Rico and President of the Popular Democratic Party.
Early years and studies
José Luis Dalmau Santiago was ...
were elected as District Senators.
FBI satellite office
There is an
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
satellite office located in Humacao.
Healthcare
Humacao has three secondary care hospitals HIMA-San Pablo Humacao, Dr. Domínguez (Hospital Oriente), and Ryder Memorial Hospital.
Symbols
The has an official flag and coat of arms.
Flag
It consists of three horizontal stripes: gold that stands for Chief Jumacao's crown, red that symbolizes the coat of arms and the green that represents the arrows used by the Taínos.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms mainly consists of two colors, gold and green but also has gules. The gold represents the sun, Humacao is located in the island were the sun rises. Green symbolizes the native Indian heritage as well as the natural tropical valley where the city is located. The shield itself represents Humacao's native and Indian name origin. The coat of arms was designed by Roberto Brascochea Lota in 1975 and approved by Humacao on November 13, 1975.
Transportation
Humacao's airport is no longer used for daily flights 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 as it was in the past. It is now used for private flights.
Humacao is served by two freeways and one tolled expressway, therefore is one of a few cities in Puerto Rico with good access.
Puerto Rico Highway 30
Puerto Rico Highway 30 (PR-30), known as Expreso Cruz Ortiz Stella, is a main freeway in Puerto Rico which connects the city of Caguas to the town of Humacao.
Expreso PR-30, Gurabo, Puerto Rico.jpg, PR-30 in Gurabo
Expreso PR-30, Las Piedras ...
, ''Autopista Cruz Ortiz Stella'', serves as the main highway coming from the west (
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, and east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey. Caguas was founde ...
,
Las Piedras), while
Puerto Rico Highway 53
Puerto Rico Highway 53 (PR-53) or unsigned Interstate PR3 is a main tollway that is parallel to Puerto Rico Highway 3, which goes from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Fajardo to Salinas, Puerto Rico, Salinas. Some segments are still in planning, but when ...
serves from the north (
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 ...
,
Naguabo) and south (
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
).
Puerto Rico Highway 60
Puerto Rico Highway 60 (PR-60) or ''Avenida Dionisio Casillas'' is a freeway entirely located in Humacao, Puerto Rico. It connects Puerto Rico Highway 30 to Puerto Rico Highway 3 and has two exits:
* PR-198, Humacao Centro: Access to Hospital ...
, the ''Carretera Dionisio Casillas'', is a short freeway located entirely in Humacao, and has exits serving
downtown Humacao and
Anton Ruiz.
Puerto Rico Highway 3
Puerto Rico Highway 3 (PR-3) at nearly 100 miles long, is the second longest highway on Puerto Rico (after PR-2). It connects the San Juan neighborhood of Río Piedras to downtown Salinas indirectly around the eastern coast of the island. Highw ...
, the main highway bordering the east coastline of Puerto Rico from
San Juan, passes through Humacao and has its only alt route in the town, known locally as the ''Bulevar del Rio'' (River Boulevard) where it has access to the main judiciary center of the city, as well as a future theatre that is being built, the ''Centro de Bellas Artes de Humacao'' (Humacao Fine Arts Center). The alt route allows people to pass by the downtown area, as PR-3 enters into the downtown and business center of the town.
Puerto Rico Highway 908 is another important highway, which begins at
PR-3 and intersects
PR-30 and has access to the
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
The University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus (UPRH or UPR-Humacao) is a public college in Humacao, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico. Its campus is home to the UPRH Astronomical Observatory and the college graduates more m ...
, as well as some main schools in the municipality.
Humacao, together with San Juan and
Salinas, is one of three municipalities in Puerto Rico that has
controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
s leaving its boundaries in all directions (in this case north to
Naguabo and south to
Yabucoa
Yabucoa () is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern region, north of Maunabo; south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras and Humacao; and east of Patillas. Yabucoa is spread over 9 barrios and Yabucoa Pueblo (the downtown area ...
via
PR-53
Puerto Rico Highway 53 (PR-53) or unsigned Interstate PR3 is a main tollway that is parallel to Puerto Rico Highway 3, which goes from Fajardo to Salinas. Some segments are still in planning, but when finished it will be about in length. Two ...
and west to Las Piedras via PR-30)
There are 68 bridges in Humacao.
Education
There are various elementary and high school facilities, three of which were recognized by the Middle States Association of Secondary Schools and each has its own National Honor Society chapters.
The
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
The University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus (UPRH or UPR-Humacao) is a public college in Humacao, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico. Its campus is home to the UPRH Astronomical Observatory and the college graduates more m ...
, formerly the CUH, educates over 4,000 students and is well known for its sciences, producing many of the island's most skilled microbiologists, marine biologists, wildlife biologists and chemists at the undergraduate level. It also manages an astronomical observatory where many tourists and locals come visit and view the stars and planets and the ''Museo Casa Roig'' where arts expositions and cultural events are celebrated.
Notable natives and residents
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Rita Moreno, Academy Award-winning actress
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Edwin Núñez
Edwin Núñez Martínez (born May 27, 1963) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six different teams from 1982 to 1994; he spent 1982 to 1988 with the Seattle Mariners, his longest t ...
, professional baseball player
*
Luis Rafael Sánchez
Dr. Luis Rafael Sánchez, a.k.a. "Wico" Sánchez (November 17, 1936) is a Puerto Rican essayist, novelist, and short-story author who is widely considered one of the island's most outstanding contemporary playwrights. Possibly his best known play ...
, novelist and author
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Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez
Rossana Rodríguez Sanchez (born November 13, 1978) is a Chicago politician and community organizer. She is the alderwoman of Chicago's 33rd ward, having taken office as a member of the Chicago City Council in May 2019. She won election to that of ...
, member of the
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is gaveled into session regularly, usually mont ...
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Eddie Miró, TV personality
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Julio M. Fuentes, US Circuit Court judge
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Tito Rojas
Julio César Rojas López, better known by his stage name Tito Rojas (June 14, 1955 – December 26, 2020) and also known as "El Gallo Salsero", was a Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter.
Early years
Tito Rojas was born and raised in the ...
, salsa singer
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Adamari López, actress
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Jaquira Díaz
Jaquira Díaz is a Puerto Rican fiction writer, essayist, journalist, cultural critic, and professor. She is the author of ''Ordinary Girls'', which received a Whiting Award in Nonfiction, a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, was a Lambda Literary A ...
, author, journalist
*
Cosculluela
José Fernando Cosculluela Suárez (born October 15, 1980), known professionally as Cosculluela, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2018, he was caught up in a controversy after fellow Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA released a diss ...
, rapper, songwriter
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Eladio Carrión
Eladio Carrión Morales (born November 14, 1994) is an American rapper and singer of Latin trap and reggaeton.
Biography
Eladio Carrión was born in Kansas City, Missouri, to a Puerto Rican family. Because his father was in the military, t ...
, rapper, songwriter
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Jumacao
Jumacao a.k.a. Jumaca (born ''c''. 1480s) was the Taíno Cacique (Chief) of the area in Puerto Rico named after him (now spelled Humacao).
Before and after the arrival of the Conquistadors
The Taínos, who lived in Puerto Rico long before the ar ...
, Taino Cacique
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Benito Pastoriza Iyodo
Benito Pastoriza Iyodo is an author of poetry, poetics, fiction and literary articles. The themes of his literary works include: man's evolution from childhood to adulthood, examination of self, the precipices of culture and its rituals, violenc ...
, poet, narrator, and essayist
*
Carlos Ponce
Carlos Armando Ponce Freyre Jr. (born September 4, 1972) is a Puerto Rican actor, musician, model, and television personality. Ponce began his acting career by participating in Spanish language soap operas for Televisa and Telemundo. Ponce contin ...
, actor
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Luis Antonio "Yoyo Boing" Rivera, actor and comedian
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Diplo
Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
,comedian
*
Jerry Rivera
Jerry Rivera (born Gerardo Rivera Rodríguez on July 31, 1973) is a Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter.
Early years
Rivera was born in Humacao, a town located on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. He moved with his family to Levittown i ...
, singer and dancer
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Junior Ortiz, former Major League Baseball player
*
Raul Casanova
Raul, Raúl and Raül are the Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Galician, Asturian, Basque, Aragonese, and Catalan forms of the Anglo-Germanic given name Ralph or Rudolph. They are cognates of the French Raoul.
Raul, Raúl or Raül may re ...
, former Major League Baseball player
*
Rafael Orellano, former professional baseball player
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Jantony Ortiz, professional boxer
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José Estrada Jr., former professional wrestler
*Ana Otero, Pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, activist.
Gallery
File:Moon jellyfish off the coast of Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, Moon jellyfish off the coast of Humacao
File:View of Vieques Island from Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, View of Vieques Island from Humacao
File:Centro de Arte Angel “Lito” Peña Plaza en Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, The in 2020, which used to be the or town hall of Humacao is on the US National Register of Historic Places.
File:A beach in Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, A beach in Humacao
File:Fishing from a pier in Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, Fishing from a pier in Humacao
File:Large planter and buildings in Humacao barrio-pueblo, Puerto Rico.jpg, Large planter in Humacao barrio-pueblo
File:Palmas del Mar beach - Humacao Puerto Rico.jpg, Palmas del Mar Beach
File:Plaza de recreo de Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, Square in the Pueblo of Humacao
File:Underwater scene off the coast of Humacao, Puerto Rico.jpg, Underwater scene off the coast of Humacao
See also
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List of Puerto Ricans
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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 ...
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Did you know-Puerto Rico?
References
External links
Humacao and its barrios, United States Census Bureau*
Victoria840 news station in Humacao
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Puerto Rico
Populated places established in 1722
San Juan–Caguas–Guaynabo metropolitan area