Rancho Veloz is a

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

n village and ''consejo popular'' ("people's council", i.e. hamlet) of the municipality of

Corralillo Corralillo is a municipality and town in the Villa Clara Province of Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud ...

, in

Villa Clara Province Villa Clara is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is located in the central region of the island bordering with the Atlantic at north, Matanzas Province by west, Sancti Spiritus Province by east, and Cienfuegos Province on the South. Villa Clara ...

.Rancho Veloz
on EcuRed It is a small town whose population numbers between 4,549 (officially) and 6,320.Rancho Veloz on populationlist.com
/ref>

History

During the 19th century, Spaniard settlers arrived in Cuba to work on the islands' agriculture. Those looking for wood went to the area now known as Rancho Veloz, which at the time (around 1835) was named "realengo Las Cañas". According to the Cuban government's official Cuban history, this "realengo" was divided into three areas, one of which became known as "Santa Fe de las Pozas", and there, a person by the last name of Veloz built a ranch (rancho). Santa Fe de Las Pozas was the area's political and economic center by 1843. Sugar became the town's main economic source and as many as 12

sugar refineries A sugar refinery is a refinery which processes raw sugar from cane or beets into white refined sugar. Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, which is sugar that still contains molasses, giving it more colour (and impurities) than the white ...

were active during the 1840s and 1850s.

Slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

was also an economic source and by 1862, according to official figures, there were 3,721 slaves, compared to 1,297 white slave owners and 221 free Black or Mestizo persons, which meant that about 66% percent of the town's population was made up by slaves. It is not known when slavery was eradicated from the town, but official records show that the last people to be claimed as slaves were in the area around 1879. In 1869, a fort was built to protect Rancho Veloz from attackers. On January 1, 1879, Rancho Veloz had, for the first time, a mayor. His name was José Suárez Solís. The first schools on record to open at Rancho Veloz were opened in 1888. These two educational centers consisted of an all girls school and an all boys one, which were situated in front of each other. During 1889, the town's cathedral was inaugurated. In 1936, the local fort was re-built due to corrosion affecting the original structure. During 1937,

Father Pertika Unanue A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

, a Spaniard who would become popular among church goers in Rancho Veloz, arrived to the cathedral. He was pivotal in the creation of several programs and buildings in the town, including a local stadium. Father Unanue became a Cuban citizen, later dying in 1991.Father Unanue on diocesisdesantaclara.com
/ref> 1949 saw the opening of a Masonic temple. The town has remained virtually unchanged since then.

Geography

Rancho Veloz is located near the Atlantic coast, between

and

Quemado de Güines Quemado de Güines () is a municipality and town in the Villa Clara Province of Cuba. It was founded in 1667. Geography The municipality is divided into the poblados of Caguaguas, Carahatas, Güines, Paso Cavado, Poblado, San Valentín and Zambum ...

, and the Biajaca River flows near it. It is crossed by the state highway ''

Circuito Norte The ''Circuito Norte'' (CN), meaning "Northern Circuit", is a west-east highway spanning the length of the island of Cuba, through the Atlantic Coast. With a length of 1,222 km, it is the second-longest Cuban highway, after the " Carretera ...

'' (CN) and by the railway line Corralillo-

Sagua La Grande Sagua la Grande (nicknamed ''La Villa del Undoso'', sometimes shortened in Sagua) is a municipality located on the north coast of the province of Villa Clara in central Cuba, on the Sagua la Grande River. The city is close to Mogotes de Juma ...

Personalities

Mirta de Perales Mirta de Perales (September 2, 1922 – May 3, 2011), born Mirta Raya Casanova in Rancho Veloz, Las Villas Province, Cuba was a hairdresser, cosmetologist Cosmetology (from Greek , ''kosmētikos'', "beautifying"; and , ''-logia'') is the study ...

(1922-2011), businesswoman

References

External links

{{commonscat-inline, Rancho Veloz Populated places in Villa Clara Province Populated places established in 1835 1835 establishments in Cuba 1835 establishments in North America 1835 establishments in the Spanish Empire

History

Geography

Personalities

See also

References

External links