Yigo, Guam (; ) is the northernmost village of the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
territory of
Guam
Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
, and is the location of
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacif ...
. The
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
of Yigo is the largest village on the island in terms of area. It contains a number of populated places, including
Asatdas and
Agafo Gumas.
History
The origin of the name "Yigo" is contested. Some state that it is derived from the Spanish word ''yugo'', meaning "
yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in dif ...
". However, some sources refer to the area as Asyigo, meaning "the home of the person Yigo." Any record of such a person has been lost.
Before contact with Europeans, Yigo had a large number of villages.
Latte stone
A latte stone, or simply latte (also latde, latti, or latdi), is a Column, pillar () capped by a Sphere, hemispherical stone capital (architecture), capital () with the flat side facing up. Used as building supports by the ancient Chamorro peopl ...
structure remnants around
Mount Santa Rosa and
Mataguac indicate significant populations. During the
Spanish-Chamorro Wars of the late seventeenth century, settlements in Yigo included
Hanom,
Tarague,
Hinapsan, and Upi (now
Northwest Field). Hanom, in particular, was a critical refuge because of its freshwater spring. The August 1679 defeat of the CHamorus at Hanom by a force of Spaniards and their allies from
Nisihan led by
José de Quiroga y Losada was one of the fiercest battles of the conflict. Following the subjugation of the CHamoru, the much reduced population was relocated to six villages centered on churches in the center and south of the island. Northern areas, including Yigo, were open to hunters and fishermen but not settlement.
In the early nineteenth century, wealthy residents of
Hagåtña began purchasing fertile land in Yigo for agricultural uses. The area became known for producing
cocoa bean
The cocoa bean, also known as cocoa () or cacao (), is the dried and fully fermented seed of ''Theobroma cacao'', the cacao tree, from which cocoa solids (a mixture of nonfat substances) and cocoa butter (the fat) can be extracted. Cacao tree ...
s, used to make
hot chocolate
Hot Chocolate are a British soul band formed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson. The group had at least one hit song every year on the UK Singles Chart from 1970 to 1984.
Their hits include " You Sexy Thing", a UK number two which also made ...
for Hagåtña residents, as well as
coffee
Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...
,
avocado
The avocado, alligator pear or avocado pear (''Persea americana'') is an evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to Americas, the Americas and was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 5,000 years ago. It was priz ...
,
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes.
''Citrus'' is nativ ...
, and
copra
Copra (from ; ; ; ) is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Traditionally, the coconuts are sun-dried, especially for export, before the oil, also known as copra oil, is pressed out. The oil extracted ...
. Upi was an important center of cattle ranching, while copra plantations were located along the northern coast, in particular. Following the
Spanish–American War
The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
and beginning of the American administration, some Chamorus began to permanently settle in the north. The first elementary school in the area opened in 1912 and, in 1919, the U.S. administration authorized 25-year land use permits in Yigo. Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel was constructed in 1920; previously, Yigo residents journeyed to Hagåtña for mass. The first village store was started in 1925. However, by 1940, Yigo remained sparsely population with about 40 families.
During the
Japanese occupation of Guam from 1941 to 1944, some Hagåtña residents moved to Yigo to get away from the occupying Japanese force.
The village was the site of a concentration camp during Japanese occupation of the island. The final battle between Japanese and American forces during the
Battle of Guam occurred in Yigo on August 7 and 8, 1944, resulting in the destruction of the chapel and many homes.
The South Pacific Memorial Peace Park was built by the Japanese Government and is dedicated to the many Japanese and American soldiers who died in the battle of Guam.

Following the war, the population of Yigo soared, first as it accommodated displaced persons from the south and then non-Chamorus who moved to Guam. The economy reoriented from agriculture towards the presence of
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacif ...
and the population continued to grow with the construction of housing subdivisions throughout the village.
Climate
Government and infrastructure
The
Federal government of the United States
The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States.
The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...
owns portions of the land in Yigo; the Government of Guam stated that it was one of several villages that are "characterized primarily by the large proportion of land owned by the federal government".
Education
Yigo, served by the
Guam Department of Education
The Guam Department of Education (GDOE), formerly the Guam Public School System, is a school district that serves the United States territory of Guam. The school district can be thought of as analogous to the school districts of other cities a ...
, has several kindergarten through 5th grade elementary schools:
* Daniel L. Perez Elementary School (formerly Yigo Elementary School)
* Machananao Elementary School
* Upi Elementary School
* F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School, formerly an elementary school until 1981, when it was converted into a middle school, and
Simon Sanchez High School are in Yigo. Sanchez opened as a junior high school in 1974; the school became a high school in 1982 to serve north-eastern Guam.
[Guam's Public High Schools]
" '' Guam Public School System''. Accessed September 8, 2008.
Simon Sanchez became a high school in 1982. The first graduating class graduated in May 1983.
In regards to the
Department of Defense Education Activity
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a federal school system headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs on beh ...
(DoDEA), Yigo is in the school transportation zone for Andersen Elementary and Andersen Middle School, while
Guam High School is the island's sole DoDEA high school.
Government
Demographics
The
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
has the municipality in multiple
census-designated places
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
:
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacif ...
,
Anao,
Chaguian,
Mataguac,
North Gayinero, and
South Gayinero.
[ - See "Yigo muny"]
See also
*
Villages of Guam
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban villa ...
References
Further reading
* Rogers, Robert F. (1995). ''Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam''. University of Hawai'i Press. .
External links
Yigo Guam at Guam Portal
*
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