Puerta de Tierra is a ''subbarrio'' (subdistrict) occupying the eastern portion of the Islet of San Juan and the ''barrio'' of

San Juan Antiguo San Juan Antiguo (not to be confused with the historic district of Old San Juan which is located within this district), is a barrio located in the municipality of San Juan in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. San Juan Antiguo has 7 subbarrios. ...

in the

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 ...

of San Juan,

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 ...

. The name Puerta de Tierra (

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 Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

for ''land gate'') derives from the former eastern gated entrance to the walled city of San Juan where Plaza Colón (formerly Santiago Square, named after the ''Puerta de Santiago'') is today. With a population of 2,924 as of 2010, this is the most populated area of San Juan Antiguo. On October 15, 2019, it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

, to be included with the

Old San Juan Historic District Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco sub-barrios ( ...

History

Indigenous history

Before the arrival of the Europeans to Puerto Rico, Puerta de Tierra (along with Old San Juan) formed part of a smaller islet which was populated by 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 ...

. Remains of a small indigenous fishing village have been found where the

Puerto Rico National Guard Museum The Puerto Rico National Guard Museum ( es, Museo de la Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico) is a museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico dedicated to the Puerto Rico National Guard. The museum was inaugurated on August 18, 2002 by Major General Emilio D� ...

stands today, however most archaeological sites in the area have been destroyed and lost during the construction of the Muñoz Rivera Avenue and surrounding buildings.

Spanish colonization

The Spanish began the colonization of Puerto Rico in 1508 when Juan Ponce de León founded Caparra, the first permanent settlement in the island, located in the southern part of the Bay of San Juan (today part of

Guaynabo Guaynabo (, ) is a city, suburb of San Juan and municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas, south of Cataño, east of Bayamón, and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spr ...

). This Spanish village was abandoned in 1519 when the Spanish founded the settlement of ''Puerto Rico de San Juan Bautista'' (modern-day Old San Juan) across the bay. The area where Puerta de Tierra is located became critical for the settlement and the defense of the Islet of San Juan as it represented the closest part of the islet to the main island of Puerto Rico. This area, later referred to as El Boquerón, was separated from the main island by the San Antonio strait (today known as the San Antonio Channel). The first bridge across the San Antonio Channel was built by enslaved Taínos between 1520 and 1521 as entrusted by the

Order of Saint Jerome The Hieronymites, also formally known as the Order of Saint Jerome ( la, Ordo Sancti Hieronymi; abbreviated OSH), is a Catholic enclosed religious orders, cloistered religious order and a common name for several congregations of hermit monks livi ...

(or Hieronymites). One of the first

witch-hunt A witch-hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. The Witch trials in the early modern period, classical period of witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe and European Colon ...

s in the New World occurred in Puerta de Tierra in 1594 when bishop and

inquisitor An inquisitor was an official (usually with judicial or investigative functions) in an inquisition – an organization or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Literal ...

Don Nicolás Ramos accused a group of people of African descent of celebrating pagan rituals just outside of the settlement of San Juan. The accused were tortured and forced to reject their beliefs, although three women who did not comply were burned at the stake by orders of the

Holy Inquisition The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat Christian heresy, heresy, conducting trials of suspected heretics. Studies of the records have found that the overwhelming majority of sentences consi ...

San Juan's eastern expansion

Construction of the fortified wall system of San Juan began in 1634. Although the area outside the city walls occupying the east side of Old San Juan was almost uninhabited prior to the 19th century, this area represents the first urban expansion of San Juan during the colonial period. Some of the settlers of the area around this time were freed families originating from the British, Dutch and Danish colonies in the Caribbean. While most residences were wooden huts and ''bohíos'', this represents the first eastward demographic expansion of the colonial city of San Juan. Most of the huts were located along the eastern walls and the ''Puerta de Santiago'' (Santiago Gate). Due to the fact that this was the main entrance by land to the fortified city, the gate was referred to as ''Puerta de Tierra''. The area was further settled after the eastward expansion of the batteries of Fort San Cristóbal in 1771 and the construction of the ''Camino Real'' (today the Ponce de León Avenue) later in 1810. The area was attacked by the British during the 1797 Battle of San Juan under the command of Sir

Ralph Abercromby Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby (7 October 173428 March 1801) was a British people, British soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was appointed Gov ...

and Sir

Henry Harvey Admiral Sir Henry Harvey KB (Bef. 4 Aug 1737 – 28 December 1810) was a long-serving officer of the British Royal Navy during the second half of the eighteenth century. Harvey participated in numerous naval operations and actions and espec ...

, during the

Coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

Anglo-Spanish War. The British invasion was thwarted by the local Spanish militia and regiments of Afro-Puerto Ricans after an unsuccessful siege of San Juan. This event led to the re-fortification of El Boquerón in the eastern end of Puerta de Tierra. Remnants of these military installations can still be seen today in the

Luis Muñoz Rivera Park The Luis Muñoz Rivera Park (or Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera in Spanish) is a 27.2 acre (110,000 m2) recreational public space located in Puerta de Tierra in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The park was named in honor of Puerto Rican statesman Luis Muñoz ...

. By 1838, Puerta de Tierra had a population of 168 residents, mainly of

African descent Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in s ...

1867 earthquake and wall demolitions

Although the military installations in San Juan were modernized in 1865, the eastern portion of the walls were no longer deemed necessary due to the eastward expansion of the city and were consequently partially demolished. The 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake destroyed the remaining eastern military installations in the area, and a new road and railway station were built with the name of ''Paseo Virgen de Nuestra de Señora de Covadonga'' and the Covadonga Terminal, respectively. The Paseo Covadonga exists today under the name of Covadonga Avenue. The San Juan

streetcar A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

system was developed along the Camino Real in 1880, during a time when the southern coast of Puerta de Tierra began to be industrially developed as piers and docks were installed along the San Antonio Channel. During this time, Puerta de Tierra became the most populated area in the Islet of San Juan, which is reflected through the construction of a new parish church (Church of San Agustín), bullfight arenas, schools and new streets. Although the area was quickly developing, most of the residential structures were unplanned, something that also happened along the northern walls of the city in La Perla.

Spanish–American War

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 ...

took control of Puerto Rico from

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 ...

. In 1899, the United States conducted its first census of Puerto Rico, finding that the population of Puerta de Tierra was 5,453. Puerta de Tierra was badly damaged during the path of the ''San Ciriaco hurricane'' (also known as the 1899 Puerto Rico Hurricane).

20th century

The Street railway journal (1901) (14758136892)

Puerta de Tierra went through large changes during the beginning of the 20th century. ''Barriada Miranda'' was the first formally established public residential area in the zone in 1903 along the ''Camino Real'', now called the Carretera Central. Politician Luis Muñoz Rivera suggested in 1907 that the territorial capitol of Puerto Rico should be built in the largest of the empty parcels of land where the eastern city walls used to be, next to the Tapia Theater. The first public elementary school, José Julián Acosta School, was also built here in 1907. The portion of this road that passed through Puerta de Tierra was popularly known as the ''Broadway of Puerto Rico'' by the media due to the large number of theaters and cultural performing institutions being built at the time. Tres Banderas Theater, for example, was the first cinema to be established in the area in 1910. Some of the first non-Catholic Christian institutions were also established here in the 1910s such as the first

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

church and the first

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

church in San Juan. The

1928 Okeechobee hurricane The Okeechobee hurricane of 1928, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the recorded history of the North Atlantic basin, and the fourth deadliest hurricane in the United States, only behind the ...

(known locally as the ''San Felipe Segundo hurricane'') caused approximately 300 deaths in Puerta de Tierra. This and other disasters such as disease outbreaks negatively affected the development of the area in the first half of the 20th century. Puerta de Tierra and its docks were also the site of large and important workers' protests during this time. The

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, however, brought an increase in the industrial activity in the area. The first use of condominiums as public housing in the United States also occurred during this time in Puerta de Tierra, the first of which was the ''Condominio San Luis'', and multi-level housing soon replaced wooden single-family houses.

Cityscape

Puerta de Tierra conforms the eastern portion of the Islet of San Juan and it is connected to the mainland by bridges ( Dos Hermanos and

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

) and a causeway. It is bordered by the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

to the north, El Boquerón and

El Condado Condado is an oceanfront, tree-lined, pedestrian-oriented upper middle to upper class community in Santurce. It is one of the forty subbarrios of Santurce in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Setting Condado is an upscale neighborhood located on the bea ...

to the east, the San Antonio Channel to the south and

Old San Juan Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the Isleta de San Juan, islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Old San Juan, Ballajá, Catedral, Old San Juan, Catedral, Ma ...

immediately to the west. Puerta de Tierra is the site of many of

's government buildings, including the

Capitol of Puerto Rico The wikt:capitol, Capitol of Puerto Rico ( es, Capitolio de Puerto Rico) is located on the Islet of San Juan just outside the walls of Old San Juan. The building is home to the bicameral Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, Legislative Assembly, ...

. With a 2000 census population of 4,135 and a land area of 0.60 sq. miles (1.55 km²), Puerta de Tierra is the largest and most populous ''subbarrio'' of San Juan Antiguo ''barrio''. In October 2017, Puerta de Tierra won an award from the

International Union of Architects The International Union of Architects ( French: ''Union internationale des Architectes''; UIA) is the only international non-governmental organization that represents the world's architects, now estimated to number some 3.2 million in all. About ...

, a non-governmental body based in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

which represents the world's architects. Puerta de Tierra was awarded "best public spaces". The Skyline of San Juan with the Capitol of Puerto Rico

National Register of Historic Places

On October 15, 2019, Puerta de Tierra was officially added to the

. According to Puerto Rican newspaper

El Nuevo Dia EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American p ...

, Bibiana Hernández had worked for decades to have Puerta de Tierra added to the US National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and was overjoyed at the news. Many people such as artist and community spokesman, Jesús “Bubu” Negrón, have worked along with Arleen Pabón-Charneco, a Puerto Rican architect and author of the NRHP nomination forms, to bring more visibility to the area. The community expressed concerns saying the area was starting to experience gentrification. This designation now makes the entire

Isleta de San Juan The Isleta de San Juan (Spanish for ''Islet of San Juan'') is a island in the San Juan Bay in the Atlantic coast of northern Puerto Rico. Home of Old San Juan, it is the site of the oldest permanent European settlement in Puerto Rico (1521), and ...

(San Juan Islet) a historic district, along with the

(which is also on the small isle) and the designation should make it easier to prioritize its care with federal funds for these purposes. There were already thirteen structures in Puerta de Tierra on the NRHP, including El Falansterio, Brambaugh School and the José Celso Barbosa Graded School. There is a phrase seen on murals around Puerta de Tierra that says ("People live here") and the community has been planning to create a museum about Puerta de Tierra.

Attractions

Hotels and Beaches

Caribe Hilton Hotel The Caribe Hilton is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is owned by Park Hotels & Resorts and managed by Hilton Worldwide. History In early 1946, as part of the Puerto Rican industrialization effort known as Operation Bootstrap, the Puerto ...

Normandie Hotel The Normandie Hotel is a historic building located in the Isleta de San Juan, in San Juan, Puerto Rico which opened on October 10, 1942 as a hotel. Its design was inspired by the French transatlantic passenger ship SS ''Normandie'' in addition ...

* Escambrón Beach Club * Escambrón Beach

Parks and Recreation Sites

* Third Millennium Park * Sixto Escobar Stadium

Government Service Sites

Federal Government of the United States

U.S. Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

Office * U.S. National Guard Office

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Legislative Branch

(Capitolio de Puerto Rico)

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Judicial Branch

Supreme Court of Puerto Rico The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico ( es, Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico) is the highest court of Puerto Rico, having judicial authority to interpret and decide questions of Puerto Rican law. The Court is analogous to one of the state supreme cou ...

(Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico)

Autonomous Municipality of San Juan

* Casa Cuna (former

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

Radio Station) * City Center for Children Protection Shelter * Dr. Quevedo Báez Health Centerhttps://sanjuanapp.wearecontactica.com/servicios/salud/ * Medical Primary Care and Emergency Room Services

Notable people from Puerta de Tierra

Antonia Pantoja Antonia Pantoja (September 13, 1922 – May 24, 2002), was a Puerto Rican educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and the founder of ''ASPIRA'', the Puerto Rican Forum, Boricua College and ''Producir''. In 1996, she was the fi ...

- educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and founder of ASPIRA, the Puerto Rican Forum, Boricua College and Producer, first Puerto Rican woman to receive the American Presidential Medal of Freedom

Gallery

Sites in and around Puerta de Tierra: File:Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico - panoramio (7).jpg, Small plain landing in Puerta de Tierra File:Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico - panoramio (14).jpg, Statue at , near the Capitol of Puerto Rico File:Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico - panoramio.jpg, Building File:Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico - panoramio (4).jpg, Ship File:Pescando en el Viejo San Juan.jpg, Fishing from a pier File:Memorial in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan.jpg, Bike (memorial on tree)

References

External links

* {{Wikivoyage-inline, San Juan/Puerta de Tierra, Puerta de Tierra
Puerta de Tierra site
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Geography of San Juan, Puerto Rico