Yauco, Puerto Rico

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Yauco, Puerto Rico
Flag of Yauco, Puerto Rico
Flag
Nickname: El Pueblo del Café", "Capital Taína", "Los Corsos
Location within the island of Puerto Rico
Location within the island of Puerto Rico
Country United States
Territory Puerto Rico
Founded February 29, 1756
Government
 - Mayor Abel Nazario Quiñones (PNP)
 - Senatorial dist. 5 - Ponce
 - Representative dist. 21,23
Area
 - Total 68.8 sq mi (178.1 km²)
 - Land 68.1 sq mi (176.5 km²)
 - Water 0.6 sq mi (1.6 km²)
Population (2000)
 - Total 46,384
 - Density 680.6/sq mi (262.8/km²)
 - Gentilic Yaucanos
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
Anthem – "Pueblo de gestas gloriosas"
Website: www.yauco.com

Yauco ('yau-"ko) is a city (ciudad) and municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island by the Caribbean Sea, south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana Grandeand Guánica; and west of Guayanilla. Yauco is spread over 20 wards and Yauco Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).

According to the United States Census Bureau estimates, the 2000 population of Yauco was 46,384 persons. Its land area is 176.5 square kilometers with a population density of 262.8 per square kilometer. Its postal zip code is 00698, telephone area code is 787, and it is in the Atlantic time zone.

Yauco is also the name of the principal town (zona urbana) of the municipality. The town's population in 2000 was 19,609. The town, built on a hillside, has stepped streets and traditional houses, some of which are open for tours.

Yaucanos also call their home la Ciudad del Café (City of Coffee), la Capital Taína (Taino Capital), and los Corsos (The Corsicans).

Contents

[edit] History

19th century train station in Yauco
19th century train station in Yauco

Yauco, originally known as coayuco, was founded February 29, 1756 (the loose translation of "coayuco" in Taino is "yucca plantation".) Once known as the coffee capital of the world, its coffee, low in caffeine but rich in taste, and its trade in coffee was beaten by market policies of the twentieth century, including the desire of the Puerto Rican government and sugar industry to develop trade in sugar at the expense of coffee. It is still known for its exports of coffee and tobacco.

[edit] Flag

The flag of Yauco consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width, black the superior and gold the inferior one. To the center the official shield of Yauco.

[edit] Coat of Arms

Shield divided in quarters by a cross in the center that represents the Christendom. In a silver field a gold and black boiler, with seven necks and heads of black serpents in each handle, three to the right hand, confronted with four to the left-hand side. Bordered by a checkered band in gold and black. The second and third quarter, in a field of gold, two coffee plant flowers of five leaves of silver and four red. The coffee plant flower and the coffee grains, represent their cultivation in the Yauco municipality. The border of the shield represents the beads of the rosary. The three tower crown, establishes its category of town.

[edit] Demographics

Yauco Pueblo, August 2006
Yauco Pueblo, August 2006

[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)[1]

  • Aguas Blancas
  • Algarrobo
  • Almácigo Alto
  • Almácigo Bajo
  • Barina
  • Caimito
  • Collores
  • Diego Hernández
  • Duey
  • Frailes
  • Jácana
  • Naranjo
  • Palomas
  • Quebradas
  • Ranchera
  • Río Prieto
  • Rubias
  • Sierra Alta
  • Susúa Alta
  • Susúa Baja
  • Vegas
  • Yauco Pueblo
Yauco Lake (Lago de Yauco), August 2006
Yauco Lake (Lago de Yauco), August 2006

[edit] Geo/Topography

  • Mount Membrillo, the Rodadero Peak and the Curet Hill.
  • Rivers; Chiquito, Duey Loco, Naranjo and Yauco.

[edit] Anthem

By M. Ramos Antonmattei

Pueblo de gestas gloriosas
es Yauco ciudad cafetal
sus hijos le escriben la historia
con cantos de gloria inmortal.

Por eso mi pueblo querido
tu emblema y noble pendón
serán por siempre tenidos
en alto con honra y honor.

Tus valles y tus montañas
son ricas en caña y café
tus hijos con amor trabajan
la tierra que les vio nacer.

Por eso mi Yauco querido
te canto con gran emoción
tu corazón se ha prendido
muy dentro de mi corazón.

[edit] Economic

[edit] Agriculture

Yauco's main crops are coffee, cotton, oranges, sugarcane and tobacco.

[edit] Industrial

Yauco also produces textiles and other light manufactured materials.

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Landmarks and places of interest

  • Mansion Negroni

IMG]http://i29.tinypic.com/5wktjt.jpg[/IMG

  • Casa Franceschi
  • Casa Agre
  • Casa Cesari
  • Teatro Ideal
  • Lucchetti Lake
  • Nuestra Señora del Rosario Hermitage Ruins
  • Tozza Castle
  • Vegas Lake

[edit] Festivals and events

  • National Coffee Festival - February
  • Patron Festivities - October

[edit] Notable "Yaucanos"

  • Rubén del Rosario - Literary critic, linguist and Professor (University of Puerto Rico, Hispanic Studies School.)
  • Julio Irving Rodriguez-lawyer & senator of mayaguez
  • Amaury Veray - Composer
  • Francisco Lluch Mora - Poet
  • The Black Thunder - Legendary owner of the golden coffee sack
  • Loida Figueroa - Poet, historian & novelist.
  • Julio Victor Ramirez, hijo- Investigative journalist, born in Yauco, but raised in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
  • José Angel Pacheco - Former U.S. Navy Submariner and popular radio personality in the United States.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] Photo gallery

[edit] External links