San Germán, Puerto Rico
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| San Germán, Puerto Rico | |||
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| Nickname(s): "La Ciudad De Las Lomas" "Ciudad De Las Golondrinas" |
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| Coordinates: 18°N 67°W / 18°N 67°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| Territory | Puerto Rico | ||
| Founded | 1573 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Isidro A. Negrón Irizarry (PPD) | ||
| - Senatorial dist. | Mayagüez | ||
| - Representative dist. | 20 | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 54.5 sq mi (141.18 km2) | ||
| - Land | 54.5 sq mi (141.18 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 528 ft (161 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 37,704 | ||
| - Density | 684.3/sq mi (264.2/km2) | ||
| - Metro | 136,212 | ||
| - Gentilic | Sangermeños | ||
| - CSA | 251,260 | ||
| Racial groups [1] | |||
| - White - Black - American Indian/An - Asian - Native Hawaiian/Pi - Some other race - Two or more races |
86.6% 3.7% 0.2% 0.1% 0.0% 3.6% 5.8% |
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| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP codes | 00683, 00636 | ||
| Website | www.municipiodesangerman.com | ||
| Anthem - "San Germán es mi pueblo querido" | |||
San Germán (Spanish pronunciation: [saŋ xerˈman]) is a municipality located in the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez and Maricao; north of Lajas; east of Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo; and west of Sabana Grande. San Germán is spread over 18 wards and San Germán Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is both a principal city of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area. San Germán is the second oldest city of Puerto Rico, after San Juan. The island of Puerto Rico was once split between the San Juan and the San Germán municipalities. The latter extended from a line from Arecibo in the north to Ponce in the south, westward to the sea.
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[edit] History
Spanish settlement in the original city of San Germán occurred early in the conquest and colonization of Puerto Rico. After the destruction of a small early settlement near modern-day Aguadilla during a Taíno uprising which started in February 1511, the new settlement was built at Guayanilla [2] and named after Germaine of Foix, the new queen of King Fernando. [3] This town was attacked by French corsairs in August 1528, May 1538 and 1554. The construction of a small fort began on 1540, but work stopped on 1546, when the population of the town began moving inland to the current modern location.
An early written reference to the new town occurs in 1573. A letter sent to Spain's king Philip II mentions a city with the names of Nueva Salamanca and San Germán. Spanish conquerors used the name Nueva Salamanca to honor the city of Salamanca in Spain.
On May 12, 1570, the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo (see Audiencia) ordered that both the populations of San Germán and Santa Maria de Guadianilla be merged into a single city due to the constant attacks. The new city was built on the hills of Santa Marta, next to the Guanajibo River in 1573. Its official name was Nueva Villa de Salamanca, named after the city of Salamanca, in Spain. However, the population would call the city San Germán el Nuevo (The New San Germán) and, eventually, the Villa de San Germán (The Village of San Germán).
[edit] Flag
Green - Colors of the Shield of Christopher Columbus and his son, Viceroy of America. White - The purity of the blood of the great families who colonized San Germán. Violet - Color of the Shield of Juan Ponce de Leon, first governor of Puerto Rico.
[edit] Coat of Arms
First Quarter: A green field a royal gold castle. Second Quarter: The second quarter exhibits the arms of the kingdoms of Aragon and Sicily, where don Fernando the Catholic reigned. Third Quarter: In this quarter the arms combine with the County of Foix and the Kingdom of France, which constitute the family shields of Germana de Foix whose name perpetuates the city of San Germán. Fourth Quarter: Is Ponce de Leon's shield, The Crown: Is a civic or municipal standard and is used as a stamp for towns and cities, San Germán was assigned five towers to denote that this population formally obtained the title of city from the Spanish crown, in the last century.
[edit] Demographics
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Demographic distribution
Racial distribution
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[edit] Geography
Mountains: Alto del Descanso (768 m) and Tetas de Cerro Gordo (883 m).
Rivers: Río Caín, Río Duey, Río Rosario, Río Guanajibo (Estero), Río Hoconuco and Guamá.
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)
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- Due to its large size, Minillas is usually subdivided into Minillas Valle, Minillas Carretera and Minillas Parcelas.
[edit] Culture
[edit] Festivals and events
- Patron Celebrations - July
- Anón Festival - September
- Christmas Festival - December
- Festival de la Pana - July
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Puente de Bolas (Bridge of Balls)
- Casa Morales
- Ceiba de la Libertad
- Historic Gallery
- Lola Rodríguez de Tió Museum
- Ramírez de Arrellano y Rossell Museum
- Santo Domingo Plazuela
- Three Races and One Culture Mural
- San Germán Historic District
- Porta Coeli
- Inter-American University of Puerto Rico
- Church San Germán de Auxerre
[edit] Sports
San Germán has only one professional sports team, BSN's San Germán Athletics. Nicknamed either El monstruo anaranjado (The orange monster, in reference to their uniform) or Los nenes, San Germán's basketball team is the oldest in the island and has been one of the most successful in Puerto Rican basketball history, winning fourteen championships. From 1955 to 1985 the Atléticos did not win a championship. But the 1985 team, helped by Jose Ortiz, beat the Guaynabo Mets in six games to win the national title, and, at the same time, helped San Germán revitalize its economy by raising awareness of the town's historic importance for the island.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Agriculture
The area around San Germán grows fruits (banana, pineapple) and sugar cane on mid-scale. Dairy farms are also present in small scale. Some locals grow other produce on a small scale. Other industries in the municipality include Baxter Serum Mfg., Cordis, Insertco (Print shop for medical instructions inserts), Wallace Silversmiths de Puerto Rico, General Electric (production of circuit breakers) and several other companies in the service industry.
[edit] Business
Most businesses are located in or near the "downtown" area (San Germán Pueblo). Plaza del Oeste is the main shopping center.
[edit] Industry
Major employers of the city include Baxter Serum Mfg., Johnson & Johnson's Cordis Division, Insertco (Print shop for medical instructions inserts), Wallace International, General Electric (production of circuit breakers) and several business owners.
[edit] Tourism
San Germán is the site of the Porta Coeli church, one of the earliest Spanish cathedrals built in Latin America. Porta Coeli is still a major attraction that brings both domestic and international tourists every year.
[edit] Education
San Germán has 15 public schools: 8 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 4 second units and 2 high schools:
- Amina Tió de Malaret (Elementary)
- Antonia Martínez (Elementary)
- Bartolomé de las Casas (Elementary)
- Carmen Borrás Batistini (Elementary)
- Georgina Alvarado (Elementary)
- Henry W. Longfellow (Elementary)
- Herminia C. Ramírez (Elementary)
- Mariano Abril (Elementary)
- Julio Víctor Guzmán (Middle)
- Luis Muñoz Rivera (Second Unit)
- Federico Degetau (Second Unit)
- Francisco Mariano Quiñones (Second Unit)
- Galo Rosado (Second Unit)
- Laura Mercado (High School)
- Lola Rodríguez de Tió (High School)
It also has several private schools, such as Colegio San José, Academia Bárbara Ann, Academia Sangermeña and Academia Presbiteriana.
The main campus of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico is located adjacent to the downtown area of San Germán. It was the first private university in Puerto Rico.
[edit] Notable Puerto Ricans from San Germán
- PFC Joseph (Jose) R. Martinez destroyed a German Infantry unit and tank in Tuniz, during World War II, by providing heavy artillery fire, saving his platoon from being attacked in the process. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, by General George S. Patton, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican recipient of said military decoration. [5]
[edit] References
- ^ "Racial/Ethnic 2000 U.S Census" (PDF). http://www.topuertorico.org/pdf/2kh72.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- ^ Fuson, Robert (2000). Juan Ponce De Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida. Blacksburg, Virginia: McDonald & Woodward. p. 79. ISBN 0939923923.
- ^ Thomas, Hugh (2003). Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 231. ISBN 0297645633.
- ^ Ethnicity 2000 census
- ^ Martinez's DSC Citation
[edit] External links
- San Germán and its barrios, United States Census Bureau
- San Germán travel guide from Wikitravel
- San German, Puerto Rico
- Official Webpage of the San German Atleticos
- Welcome to Puerto Rico!
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Mayagüez | Maricao | |
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| Hormigueros |  |
Sabana Grande | ||
 San Germán  |
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| Cabo Rojo | Lajas |
