Calle Méndez Vigo (Mayagüez)
Calle Méndez Vigo (Mendez Vigo Street) is a major thoroughfare in the western Puerto Rico municipality of Mayagüez with a length of about 1.22 miles (2 km). The street is oriented east–west with traffic running one-way westbound with the number of lanes going from one to two after the road passes Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances (formerly Post Street) in downtown Mayagüez.[1] Some of the most important historical places in Mayagüez are located on this street:
- E. Franco & Co (the house of the "Brazo Gitano Franco")
- Escuela Mariano Riera Palmer
- Iglesia Católica de Nuestra Señora del Carmen
- Edificio Darlington
- Parque Suau, Casa Gómez
- Antiguo Hospital Ramírez
- Casa Casals-Defilló
- Edificio Westernbank
- Iglesia Central Presbiteriana
- Edificio la Palma
- Edificio La Bolsa
- Panadería y Repostería Ricomini
- Municipal Historical Archives (Teatro Riera)
- Teatro Balboa
History of the name
The street is named after Spanish General Santiago de Méndez Vigo, who was Governor of Puerto Rico during the early 1840s.[2] The Great Fire of 1841 on January 30 destroyed much of the Villa; of the 700 houses in Mayagüez, only 40 remained. Governor Santiago Méndez Vigo was informed and he immediately headed towards Mayagüez on horseback with a few of his assistants.[3] The governor brings with him 20,000 pesos in silver coins to help the victims of the fire.[3] The Villa of Mayagüez in a gratefulness to the Governor changes the name of the main street to Méndez Vigo. Before the street was called Calle Comercio (Commerce Street).[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Tránsito Promedio Diario (AADT)". Transit Data (Datos de Transito) (in Spanish). DTOP PR. p. 151.
- ^ "Governantes de Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). Link to Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
- ^ a b "Mayagüez; Notas para su Historia"; by Silvia Aguilo Ramos (Author); Page: 76; Publisher: Model Offset Printing, San Juan (1984); Language: Spanish
- ^ Ricardo Rosas, Jr., "Fuegos Ocurridos en Mayagüez", Anuario de Las Fiestas Patronales, 1958
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