Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Nickname: "Ciudad de los Conquistadores", "Pueblo del Carnaval Mavó", "Primer Poblado de Puerto Rico" | ||||||
| Gentilic: "Guaynabeños" | ||||||
| Location | ||||||
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Image:Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Guaynabo.svg | ||||||
| Government | ||||||
| Founded | 1769 | |||||
| Mayor | Hon. Héctor O'Neill Garcia | |||||
| Political party | PNP | |||||
| Senatorial district | 1 - San Juan | |||||
| Representative district | 6 / 9 | |||||
| Geographical characteristics | ||||||
| Area | ||||||
| Total | 70.2 km² | |||||
| Population | ||||||
| Total (2000) | 100,053 | |||||
| Density | 1,425.2/km² | |||||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | |||||
| Official website: http://www.guaynabocity.gov.pr | ||||||
| Anthem – "Guaynabo, pueblo querido" | ||||||
Guaynabo (gwei-NAH-bo) is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan. Guaynabo is spread over 9 wards and Guaynabo Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
Guaynabo is considered, along with neighbors San Juan and the municipalities of Bayamón, Carolina,Cataño, Toa Alta, Canovanas , Caguas, Toa Baja and Trujillo Alto to be one of the cities of the Área Metropolitana (Metropolitan Area) of San Juan (the largest MSA in Puerto Rico; many Puerto Ricans erroneously consider it the only metropolitan area in the Commonwealth). The municipio has a land area of 70.26 km² (27.13 sq mi) and a population of 100,053 as of the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Guaynabo was founded in 1769, after a struggle to be divide from the municipality of Bayamón. Previously, the city was known as "Buinabo", name that means in Taíno "He aquí otro lugar de agua dulce" or "Have here another place of sweet water".
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)
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[edit] Anthem
By Rafael Velázquez Pericas
Guaynabo, pueblo querido,
yo no te olvido, eres mi amor...
Guaynabo, eres mi encanto,
te quiero tanto, de corazón.
Tu gente, sencilla y noble,
tus hombres son recordados
por sus hazañas,
por su lealtad...
Recuerdo a Baldorioty,
hombre valiente
y sin igual.
Luchando por los esclavos
allá en las cortes
supo ganar.
Su nombre es respetado,
alláien los campos
y en la cuidad.
Guaynabo, eres mi pueblo
lleno de ensueños
y de bondad
[edit] Economic
Long considered to be just a mostly rural, drive-by town for drivers who were going from San Juan to the western part of Puerto Rico, Guaynabo went through a large economic revitalization in the 1980s, under mayor Alejandro "Junior" Cruz. As a consequence, parts of the city have also served as a San Juan suburb preferred by upper-middle and high income families. Perhaps due to this fact, today, Guaynabo has the highest per capita income in Puerto Rico. Torrimar, Garden Hills, San Patricio and Tintillo are among the upper class neighborhoods located in Guaynabo. As a result of the proliferation of upper middle class and wealthy neighborhoods, Guaynabo has many of the top private schools in Puerto Rico, including Colegio Marista Guaynabo, The Baldwin School and Academia San José.
With Cruz at the helm, many shopping strips and malls were built, as well as Mario "Quijote" Morales Coliseum (then called Mets Pavilion). In addition, many manufacturing plants such as Hanes' plant set foot in Guaynabo then. Guaynabo has, at different times, been voted the most picturesque and cleanest town in Puerto Rico.
Several businesses have their headquarters in Guaynabo. El Nuevo Día, Santander Securities, the Puerto Rico Telephone Company and many sales offices for large US firms have their Puerto Rican headquarters in Guaynabo. WAPA-TV has its main studios in Guaynabo.
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Baldorioty de Castro Statue
- Bellas Artes Center
- Caparra Ruins
- Caribe Recreational Center
- Mets Pavilion
- San Patricio Plaza
[edit] Festivals and events
- Three Reyes Festival - January
- Mabó Carnival - February
- Mothers Tribute - May
- Patron Festivities - May
- Salsa National Day - June
- Bellas Artes Camp - June
- Bomba & Plena Festival - October
- Chirstmas Lighting - November
[edit] Sports
Guaynabo's BSN team, the Guaynabo Mets, won national championships in 1980, 1982 and 1989, commanded by the player after whom the coliseum was named, and his brother in law Federico "Fico" Lopez.
[edit] Notable "Guaynabeños"
- Aurelio Maldonado
- Cesar Lopez
- Jose R. Carazo
- Jose Pepito Bonano
- Lidio Cruz Moclova
- Rafael Martínez Nadal
- Román Baldorioty de Castro
- Francisco Valcarcel
[edit] Diplomacy
Guaynabo serves as a host city three foreign consulates with business in Puerto Rico:
- Image:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador
- Image:Flag of Finland (bordered).svg Finland
- Image:Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua
[edit] References
es:Guaynabo+
