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Hormigueros (, ) 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 o ...
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 ...
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 ...
located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center). It is part of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area.


History

The region of what is now Hormigueros belonged to the Guaynia region, located on the southwest portion of Puerto Rico. Archaeological findings have established that there were tribes already settled in the region around 820 BC. During the Spanish colonization at the beginning of the 16th century, European colonizers settled in the area. A coffin found underground the
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
was tested in laboratories and was dated prior to 1600. Historians also mention the ''Horomico River'' as one of the main sources of gold during the rush of the era. In 1692, the settlement that would become the town of Hormigueros was first established as a village of San Germán. It was founded by Giraldo González de la Renta (sometimes spelled Geraldo).''Hormigueros: History and Founding.''
Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
After its initial establishment, Hormigueros belonged to the municipality of San Germán. From 1863 to 1873, residents of Hormigueros made formal petitions to be separated from San Germán and be declared an independent municipality. They were finally granted their independence as a municipality on April 1, 1874, being its first mayor Narciso Oller Serra. 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") , ...
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 Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. 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 inc ...
of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Hormigueros was 3,215. After the American invasion of 1898, Hormigueros was annexed this time to the town of Mayagüez. The annexation was ordered by
Guy V. Henry Guy Vernor Henry (March 9, 1839 – October 27, 1899) was an American military officer and Medal of Honor recipient who served as military governor of Puerto Rico. Biography Henry was born in Fort Smith, Indian Territory (now Arkansas), the ...
, but according to Adolfo de Hostos, it was a town's petition. In 1912, they were granted their independence once again, although there were attempts to annex them again during 1928–29. On September 20, 2017
Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...
struck Puerto Rico. In minute Hormigueros, 651 residences were affected. The hurricane triggered landslides in Hormigueros with its wind and rainfall.


Folklore

There is folklore about the town's founder, an explanation of why the church in the town, Basílica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate, became so important. The legend has to do with the townspeople aiding Geraldo in finding his eight-year-old daughter, "with eyes as blue as the turquoise skies", when she disappeared. When his daughter was found 15 days later she was unharmed, not hungry, and unafraid and happily explained that a black woman had helped her. Geraldo and the townspeople imagined it was the
Virgin of Montserrat Our Lady of Montserrat or the Virgin of Montserrat ( ca, Mare de Déu de Montserrat) is a Marian title associated with a statue of the Madonna and Child venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery on the Montserrat Mountain in Catalonia ...
and Geraldo said that for having helped his daughter she would be venerated for all ages. Many people heard of the tale and began praying for miracles at the place. Many pilgrimages have been made to the church, even as early as in the 17th century. It had not been the first time Geraldo had experienced a miracle at the location where the church would be built. The first miracle was when a savage bull was going to attack him but when he prayed the bull bent its knees, bowed its head to the ground, and didn't attack. Some versions of the story of the bull that would kill Geraldo state the bull's legs actually broke and thus was unable to charge at him. Since then, many Catholics perform penitence by walking the steps to the church on their knees.


Geography

The municipality of Hormigueros can be divided in three areas: the northern mountainous region that covers one fourth of the town, with hills of relative height; a semi-mountainous region that extends from east to west covering downtown Hormigueros; and the flat, valley region that extends to the south covering 5.6 square miles.


Climate

The climate conditions of Hormigueros are hot and humid. The average temperature is .


Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Hormigueros is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as . # Benavente # Guanajibo #
Hormigueros Hormigueros (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 barrios and Hormigueros Pueblo ...
# Hormigueros barrio-pueblo # Jagüitas # Lavadero These residential areas are located outside Hormigueros downtown: #Buenaventura #San Romualdo Norte #San Romualdo Sur #Valle Hermoso Norte #Valle Hermoso Sur


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 ...
) 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 Hormigueros: Sector El Hoyo in Jagüitas, Lavadero, Salsipuedes and San Romualdo.


Culture


Festivals and events

Hormigueros 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 September. 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 Hormigueros include: * Three Kings' Day Festival – January * Evening of poetry and music dedicated to love and friendship – February * Cultural Meet – March * Town Anniversary – April * Celebration honoring Ruiz Belvis – May * Evening of poetry and music dedicated to mothers – May * Evening of poetry and music dedicated to fathers – June * Youth Festival – July * Patron Saint's Festival queen selection – August * Segundo Ruiz Belvis Marathon – September * Puerto Rican Culture Day – November * Lighting of the
Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...
– The first Saturday after
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
* Caroling () – December


Tourism

Despite its small size, Hormigueros does have several attractions for visitors including: *Birán Recreational Farm *Central Eureka (Eureka Sugar Refinery) * Basilica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate


Economy

The economy of Hormigueros is still developing. In the 1980s and 90s Allergan, Inc. had a subsidiary established in town boosting the economic development of Hormigueros. However, after Allergan left no other private industry has opened operations in the municipality. On the other hand, Hormigueros does provide abundant land, talent and accessibility for an economic development and expansion. Not far away there are two regional airports: Eugenio María de Hostos Airport at Mayagüez and
Mercedita Airport Mercedita International Airport (AIM, ''Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita'') is a public use international airport located three nautical miles (6  km) east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport covers ...
at Ponce. In addition, there is the Rafael Hernández International Airport at
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 ...
. All three airports lie within 30 miles approximately.


Demographics

Hormigueros is one of the least populated municipalities. The population, according to the 2000 census, was 16,614 with a population density of 1,510.3 people per square mile (580.9/km2). Since the 1950s, the population has more than doubled. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 86.0% of Hormiguereños self-identify as Spanish or
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
origin, 4.9% as
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
, 0.2% as
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
or other.


Government

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 ...
, which is represented by two senators. In 2012,
Gilberto Rodríguez Gilberto Rodríguez (born March 14, 1975) is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Rodríguez was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012. Early years and studies Gilberto Rodríguez was born in Mayagüez o ...
and
María Teresa González María Teresa González is a Puerto Rican politician from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). González was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2012. Professional career and public service González has worked as an administrative judge f ...
were elected as district senators.


Symbols

The has an official flag and coat of arms.


Flag

The town's flag is based on the towns shield. It consists of a blue cloth with a horizontal white
rhombus In plane Euclidean geometry, a rhombus (plural rhombi or rhombuses) is a quadrilateral whose four sides all have the same length. Another name is equilateral quadrilateral, since equilateral means that all of its sides are equal in length. The ...
. Superposed on the white rhombus is another blue rhombus with a white globe outlined in blue with a cross. The globe with the cross symbolises royalty and represents Christ's domain over the world. This symbol is a traditional attribute to the Virgin of Montserrat.


Coat of arms

The town's shield is formed by a blue rhombus, with silver-plated edge. On the blue bottom there's a green hill which is a representation of Our Lady of Monserrate de Hormigueros Sanctuary, with its silver stairway. The border has symmetrical black dots, on guard. On the top of the shield resides a crown formed by a wall, with three towers that have blue doors and windows. The joints of the stones are filled with blue lines. The shield is surrounded by two chains that begin at the crown and finish under the bottom part of the shield with the last links broken.


Name

The name of Hormigueros means "
anthill An ant colony is a population of a single ant species capable to maintain its complete lifecycle. Ant colonies are eusocial, communal, and efficiently organized and are very much like those found in other social Hymenoptera, though the vario ...
" in English. The town possibly derives its name from three concepts. The first one refers to the crowds that gathered at the Basilica Menor on September 8 to honor the
Virgin of Montserrat Our Lady of Montserrat or the Virgin of Montserrat ( ca, Mare de Déu de Montserrat) is a Marian title associated with a statue of the Madonna and Child venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery on the Montserrat Mountain in Catalonia ...
. The second refers to the topographic formation of the town which consists of countless hills resembling "anthills" or
mogote A mogote () is a generally-isolated steep-sided residual hill in the tropics composed of either limestone, marble, or dolomite. Mogotes are surrounded by nearly flat alluvial plains. The hills typically have a rounded, tower-like form. Overvi ...
s, reason why it was called "Valle del Hormiguero" or "Anthill Valley". Third, it is possible that the name was originated from a
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 ...
word: Horomico, which means "río de oro" or "river of gold" due to the importance of the rivers in the area during the
gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...
of the Spanish colonization.


Education

Hormigueros boasts several public and private schools within its territory. Public education is handled 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 ...
, specifically the Mayaguez Local Educational Agency (LEA). The local schools are: Elementary schools *Escuela Elemental Nueva Middle schools *Ramon Rodríguez Diaz High schools *Segundo Ruiz Belvis Second unit (elementary and middle) *Alfredo Dorrington Farinacci


Higher education

At the same time, most of the population (21–35) has either a bachelor or a higher degree, making the town one of the most talented ones in the Island of Puerto Rico.


Transportation

Puerto Rico Highway 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. ...
provides access to Hormigueros from the nearby city of Mayagüez, or from Ponce. The rest of the roads in the town are mostly rural. It has a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town. There are 16 bridges in Hormigueros.


See also

* List of Puerto Ricans *
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 ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico * Did you know-Puerto Rico? * Latin American miracles


References


Further reading

*


External links


Puerto Rico Government Directory – Hormigueros
{{Authority control Municipalities of Puerto Rico Populated coastal places in Puerto Rico Populated places established in 1874 1874 establishments in the Spanish Empire Folklore by country Latin American folklore Folklore by region Puerto Rican legends Supernatural legends