San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| San Sebastián, Puerto Rico | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Nickname(s): San Sebastián Del Pepino", "Pepino", "Cuna de la Hamaca", "Los Patrulleros | |||
 |
|||
| Country | United States | ||
| Territory | Puerto Rico | ||
| Founded | 1752 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Javier Jiménez (PNP) | ||
| - Senatorial dist. | 4 - Mayagüez PNP | ||
| - Representative dist. | Hon. Ivan Rodriguez (PNP) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 71.7 sq mi (185.77 km2) | ||
| - Land | 71.4 sq mi (185 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0.3 sq mi (.77 km2) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 43,514 | ||
| - Density | 830.6/sq mi (320.7/km2) | ||
| - Gentilic | Pepinianos | ||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | ||
| Website | http://www.sansebastianpr.com | ||
| Anthem – "Van más de dos siglos de historia de vida" | |||
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over 24 wards and San Sebastián Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is a principal city of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
[edit] History
The permission to found the town was officially given in 1752 under the leading of the founder captain Cristobal Gonzalez de la Cruz who among other neighbors had the interest in converting the cowfarms into an agricultural village. The foundation of the town from the religious aspect, was consummated in December of 1762 by Mariano Martin, the island Catholic bishop at that time. At the beginning, by 1700, San Sebastian was a conglomerate of few cowfarms, owned by some residents of the Partido de Aguada. Las Vegas was the former plain site of one of the first cowfarms located by the Guatemala riverside at the north. Also, another of those cowfarms was Pepinito (today's downtown) that was a low green mountain with a white calcium carbonate face. On the north side of the town it can be seen some of this "pepinos". These two cowfarms gave the town its first name. These geographical accidents come the first name of the new village: Las Vegas del Pepino. In 1765 it is documented as San Sabastian de Las Vegas del Pepino.
At the beginning of 1800, rich business families arrived to Pepino fleeing from the independence revolutions of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Later, by 1850, some came directly from Cataluña and Vasconia, Spain. These people, after taking over the local political power, developed a coffee industry and brought some material progress to the town. The resident vasconians in the municipality, in remembrance of their town and religious patron of Spain, saw the need of upgrading the old traditional canarian Pepino to the new and "uptodated" San Sebastian, promoted and got the name changed of Pepino to San Sebastián from the central government authority. Nevertheless, the citizens of San Sebastian are called "pepinianos".
San Sebastián Martir (Spanish for Saint Sebastian, martyr of Rome and patron of archers), is the patron saint of the town since its early history, first brought by the canarian immigrants and later confirmed by the vasconians with the town name changed in 1869.
[edit] Flag
It consists of a rectangular flag of the usual proportions, crossed by a white waved band that separates its red superior part from the inferior one, that is green.
[edit] Coat of Arms
The Mountains: With silverplated borders, represent the characteristic mountains (Pepinos) The Crown: Is the heraldic standard used to identify towns, villas and cities. The Sugar Cane and Coffee Branches: They represent main agricultural products.
I.C.P. San Sebastián del Pepino: Un inventario de sus recursos culturales
Arcelay Medina,Rubén Diccionario Biográfico Pepiniano
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)[1]
|
|
|
[edit] Geography
- Guajataca Lake.
Río Grande de Añasco, Río Culebrinas, Río Guajataca [2]
[edit] Sports
San Sebastián holds the Coliseo Luis Aymat Cardona, ground for the professional volleyball team Caribes de San Sebastián from Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino. In amateur baseball or baseball AA, the city is represented by the Patrulleros de San Sebastian who play at the Estadio Juan Jose "Titi" Beniquez.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Agriculture
Coffee, Minor Fruits, Dairy Farms
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Barandillo (Hamac Bridge) - over Río Guatemala
- Doña Bisa Cabrero House - Facing the Public Square
- Guajataca Lake
- Juan Amayat Cardona Coliseum
- Market Plaza
- Old Catholic Church
- Robles Waterfall
- Collazo Waterfall
- Sombrero Hill
- Hacienda El Jibarito
[edit] Festivals and events
- Patron Religious Feasts - January
- Three Kings Festival - January
- Heifer Festival (Festival de la Novilla) - January
- Chess Tournament - January
- Ateneo Pepiniano Cultural Festival - January
- Hammock Festival - July
- Comeback to the Mountaintop - September
[edit] References
[edit] Bibliography
- Boceto Histórico Del Pepino - Andrés Méndez Liciaga
- San Sebastián Del Pepino, Notas Para Su Historia - Walter Cardona
- La Fundación De Las Vegas Del Pepino - Eliut González Vélez
- La Formación De La Etnia Cultural Pepiniana - Eliut González Vélez
