Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Aguadilla founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico
bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada
, and Moca
and west of Isabela
. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla 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.
Aguadilla has been the recipient of the "Best Quality of Life Award", given by the National Mayor Association, in 2002 and 2004.
, which segregated around 1780 to form an independent party.
Formerly, all the section of Aguada's territory that today constitutes the Victoria and Higüey wards was known as Aguadilla. Long before 1770 in Higüey existed a village, which in 1776 Fray Iñigo Abbot, in his description of the towns of the island, mentions as the "new Town of San Carlos of the Aguadilla." Nevertheless, according to Dr. Agustín Stahl
in his "Foundation of Aguadilla", it was not until 1780 that the town was officially founded. The construction of a new church and the proceedings to become independent from Puerto Rico and to constitute itself an independent party began in the 1775.
The population in the Village of Aguadilla continued to increase constantly mainly due to its excellent port and strategic location in the route of the boats. In 1776, when Santo Domingo
became independent for the first time, the loyals to Spain emigrated to Puerto Rico, mainly to Aguadilla, which caused the population to continue increasing significantly. In 1831, according to Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova, the party of Aguadilla belonged to Aguada. At this time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla was as follows: Pueblo Norte (North Town), Pueblo Sur (South Town), Ceiba Alta, Ceiba Baja, Montaña, Malezas, Aguacate, Dos Palmas, Camaseyes, Plainela, Borinquen, Arenales, Higüey, Corrales, Victoria, and Mangual.
Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova mentions the road of Aguadilla formed by the Point of Borinquen and the Point of San Francisco, as the "fordeadero of the ships that travel from Europe to Havana
and Mexico". He adds that its "port is the most frequented in the Island due to the proportions that it offers to refresh all class of ship."
In 1860, Aguadilla was officially declared a Village. Several years later, when the island was territorially organized into seven departments, Aguadilla became the head of the third department that included the municipalities of Aguada, Isabela
, Lares
, Moca
, Rincon
, and San Sebastián
. In January 1841 a Royal Order transferred the judicial party from Aguada to the new Town of Aguadilla. In 1878, according to Don Manuel Ebeda y Delgado, the territorial organization of Aguadilla had varied a little. At this time Plainela, Higüey, and Mangual wards are not mentioned. The Dos Palmas ward appears as Palmar. Also at this time, three new wards are mentioned: Guerrero, Caimital Alto, and Caimital Bajo. In 1898, even with the change of sovereignty in the island, the territorial organization of Aguadilla is the same to that of 1878. Nevertheless, in the Census of 1899, downtown Aguadilla appears constituted by Higüey, Iglesia, Nueva, Santa Barbara, and Tamarindo wards. Malezas ward appears subdivided into Maleza Alta and Maleza Baja. From that time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla did not change, until 1948, when the Puerto Rico Department of Planning prepared the map of the City of Aguadilla and its wards and following instructions of city authorities, Higüey and parts of Caimital Alto wards are annexed to Downtown Aguadilla.
for almost five decades. During this period, Aguadilla was home to the Strategic Air Command
72nd Bombardment Wing, Heavy equipped with B-52s, a very strategic facility during the Cold War
. During the early years of the base and throughout World War II, Puerto Ricans in the area became more Americanized than in remote locations, and the after effects are still apparent in Aguadilla, and other towns like Aguada, Moca and Isabela.
The military and Puerto Ricans from the surrounding communities generally had good formal relations, but the undercurrent of resentment in many aspects of the relationship was always just below the surface. The Ugly American attitude was far more prevalent in those days than today, and almost all Puerto Ricans have stories of abusive treatment or gross discrimination. They were often treated like second class citizens in their own homeland. In fact, many Americans stationed in the area didn't even realize that their fellow Americans were even American citizens. They expected the Puerto Ricans to treat them as if they were their great benefactors, rather than fellow American citizens.
Though the infrastructure still exists, it was handed over to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1973. The aerial facilities are now civilian controlled by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The facilities now make up the Rafael Hernandez International Airport. The barracks now host the Faro Inn Suites, a 79-room hotel. The Officer's Club now hosts the Faro Conference Center, a 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²) meeting facility. The hospital is now the Courtyard by Marriott Punta Borinquen Resort & Casino, a 150-room hotel with a casino and the first Marriott in Puerto Rico out of the San Juan
Metropolitan Area.
Ramey also hosts the University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Campus
and the Friedrich Froebel Bilingual School (K-6). The High School became Ramey Job Corps Campus and the elementary school became the Esther Feliciano Mendoza Middle School. Centro de Adiestramiento y Bellas Artes (CABA) since 1979 has being the only plublic school of arts in Puerto Rico (7-12). In 138 Wing Road, Base Ramey you can find Alicia Sotomayor a well known watercolor artist.
Ramey is also the site of the new Ramey Skating Park and a new "mariposario" (butterfly farm).
There is still an active part of the base that hosts the Coast Guard
Borinquen Air Station. There are also other government agencies based at Ramey. They include the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, and the United States Border Patrol
, the Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción (United Forces for Rapid Action) of the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Puerto Rico National Guard
.
There is also a post office, the Centro de Servicios al Conductor (Driver's Services Center), a bakery, and a Banco Popular de Puerto Rico location.
In 1918, as a consequence of the San Fermín earthquake
, the village was totally destroyed by a tsunami
. The families suffered the struggles cause by this natural disaster, due by the proximity of the village to the shore.
The residents of the village decided re-localize the village in a higher area further from shore. The new location was what today is known as Ramey.
At this new location prosperity was not to be delayed. Various leaders and commercial owners of the time, took a step to carry the village forward. Most of the poor houses disappeared.
The village's infrastructure started its evolution. Luis R. Esteves and Juan Garcia established the first two theaters in the area. A new was social club form, known as "Luz del Porvenir" (Light of the Future). A new school system was the pride of the village because it offered them the opportunity to give their children an education without having to go 9 miles (14.5 km) south downtown. There was also a new bakery and a post office, among other facilities. At this time, the village also began its Patron Festival.
The clothing industry was a major source of employment.
Prosperity and happiness came to an end, when the news that the Federal Government needed the land to build an air base that came to be known as Ramey Air Force Base
.In September 1939, some 3796 acres (15.4 km²) covered by sugar cane, was expropriated for the military at the cost of $1,215,000.
Since the foundation, the village has suffered three expropriations as a result of expansions to Ramey Air Force Base
. This expropriations delayed and ended the plans to turn San Antonio into a town.
Today, the population of San Antonio consists of approximately 10 thousand people. It has a modern square, a Puerto Rico State Police Station, a coliseum, an industrial park, public housing, a baseball park, a public school system, shops, and many other, charasteristics of a small town. Also, as a characteristic of a town, has a flag and an emblem. The creation of the flag and emblem was done by Roberto Román Acevedo.
carrying passengers to their different hometowns for the island general elections to be held that same day. It stopped at the Jimenez Station in Aguadilla for a routine engineer
and boilerman exchange with Train No. 4 which was heading towards San Juan. The engineer assigned to Train No. 3's ride from Jimenez Station to Ponce was Jose Antonio Roman, an experienced freight train engineer, but who had never worked in passenger travel. When the train left the station at 2:00am, it was hauling 6 passenger cars with hundreds of commuters and two freight cars.
At 2:20 a.m. the train started to descend a hill section known as Cuesta Vieja (Old Hill) in Aguadilla at what some witnesses described as an exaggerated speed. When the train reached the leveling-off point at the bottom of the hill it derailed
. The steam locomotive crashed into a ditch where it exploded and one of the freight cars crashed into one of the passenger cars, killing many inside. Witnesses described the scene as horrendous, with some accounts stating that parents were throwing their children out the windows to save them from the wreckage. Chief of Police Guillermo Arroyo stated that the locomotive (No. 72), the express car, and three second class passenger cars were completely destroyed. Oscar Valle, an Aguadilla correspondent to the local El Mundo
newspaper, summarized the scene in a more dramatic way: "The locomotive suffered a terrible explosion as it derailed, and the impact was so strong that 3 passenger cars were converted into a fantastic mound of wreckage. In the end, 16 passengers lost their lives, including the engineer and the boilerman, and 50 were injured in the crash.
, in the Western Coastal Valleys. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean
and the municipalities of Isabela
, Moca
, and Aguada
.
The area of the municipality is 35.5 square miles. It is mostly plain, with some notable hills being Jiménez (728 feet) and Viñet (689 feet). It has only one river, the Culebrinas
, which separates Aguadilla from Aguada.
, as the Puerto Rico west coast is now publicized by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
Two of the main attractions of the town are Las Cascadas Water Park and the Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena
, which is the only ice skating
complex in the Caribbean
.
Aguadilla is also known for its world class surfing
beaches. Aguadilla's beaches, being the most numerous of all other municipalities, host a variety of amateur and professional surfing events every year. They have also hosted a variety of championships, including the ISA world championships in 1968 and 1988. Famous surfing spots in Aguadilla include "Surfer's Beach", "Table Tops", "Gas Chamber", "Las Ruinas", and "Survival".
in Downtown Aguadilla from January to March. Also in Aguadilla is Parque Colón and the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League
(Double-A) plays its home games at Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium from February to May.
Aguadilla is also a place where many famous baseball players originate from. There are plans for a future ECHL
Minor League Hockey franchise for the city. Also there are plans for a Miami Dolphins
NFL
Exhibition game to be held at the Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium.
Major banks are represented in Aguadilla. These include the Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Citi bank, Banco Santander, Scotiabank
, Westernbank and EuroBancshares, Inc.
, LifeScan
, Symmetricom, Honeywell, and Hewlett Packard at San Antonio Technological Park. These industrial plants have drastically increased the income per capita of Aguadilla, giving rise to a robust middle class and upper-middle class, by Puerto Rican standards.
Aguadilla has two other industrial sites: Montaña Industrial Park and Camaseyes. Suiza Dairy, Micron Technology
and Productos La Aguadillana are located in Camaseyes. While the Puerto Rico State Police Academy, Automeca Technical College, and another branch of Hewlett Packard are located in Montaña.
(born on the Island of European
descent) or Spanish and European descent, with small groups of African and Asian people. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 83.6% of Aguadillanos have Spanish
or white
origin, 5.0% are black
, 0.2% are Amerindian, 0.2% Asian
, 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
, 8.2% were Some other race, 2.8% Two or more races.
Aguadilla also hosts the Puerto Rico Police Department Command for the its Region. This region covers Aguada, Aguadilla, Isabela
, Moca
, Rincón
and San Sebastián
. It also hosts the PRPD Highway Patrol Division for its region, the FURA Division of the PRPD, the US Army Reserve Center, PR National Guard, and the Border Patrol. Its also serve by another PRPD station in San Antonio Village (Precinct 203 Ramey-San Antonio).
, Moca
, Rincón
, and San Sebastián
and a number of private institutions.
There are also a number of private doctor's offices.
is located in the city of Aguadilla. In recent years, it has seen a resurgence as an international airport in the island, with several airlines planning flights to the US from Aguadilla.
(José de Diego Expressway) from Hatillo
and it will probably end at Puerto Rico Highway 111
.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada
Aguada, Puerto Rico
Aguada is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, west of Rincón, Aguadilla and Moca; and north of Anasco. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
and west of Isabela
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla 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.
Aguadilla has been the recipient of the "Best Quality of Life Award", given by the National Mayor Association, in 2002 and 2004.
History
The present territory of the City of Aguadilla was originally part of the territory of AguadaAguada, Puerto Rico
Aguada is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, west of Rincón, Aguadilla and Moca; and north of Anasco. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, which segregated around 1780 to form an independent party.
Formerly, all the section of Aguada's territory that today constitutes the Victoria and Higüey wards was known as Aguadilla. Long before 1770 in Higüey existed a village, which in 1776 Fray Iñigo Abbot, in his description of the towns of the island, mentions as the "new Town of San Carlos of the Aguadilla." Nevertheless, according to Dr. Agustín Stahl
Agustín Stahl
Dr. Agustín Stahl , was a medical doctor and the first renowned Puerto Rican scientist, with diverse interests in the fields of ethnology, botany and zoology. He advocated Puerto Rico's independence from Spain....
in his "Foundation of Aguadilla", it was not until 1780 that the town was officially founded. The construction of a new church and the proceedings to become independent from Puerto Rico and to constitute itself an independent party began in the 1775.
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
became independent for the first time, the loyals to Spain emigrated to Puerto Rico, mainly to Aguadilla, which caused the population to continue increasing significantly. In 1831, according to Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova, the party of Aguadilla belonged to Aguada. At this time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla was as follows: Pueblo Norte (North Town), Pueblo Sur (South Town), Ceiba Alta, Ceiba Baja, Montaña, Malezas, Aguacate, Dos Palmas, Camaseyes, Plainela, Borinquen, Arenales, Higüey, Corrales, Victoria, and Mangual.
Don Pedro Tomás de Córdova mentions the road of Aguadilla formed by the Point of Borinquen and the Point of San Francisco, as the "fordeadero of the ships that travel from Europe to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
and Mexico". He adds that its "port is the most frequented in the Island due to the proportions that it offers to refresh all class of ship."
In 1860, Aguadilla was officially declared a Village. Several years later, when the island was territorially organized into seven departments, Aguadilla became the head of the third department that included the municipalities of Aguada, Isabela
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
, Lares
Lares, Puerto Rico
Lares is a small mountain municipality of Puerto Rico's central-western area located north of Maricao and Yauco; south of Camuy, east of San Sebastián and Las Marias; and west of Hatillo, Utuado and Adjuntas. Lares is spread over 10 wards and Lares Pueblo...
, Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
, Rincon
Rincón, Puerto Rico
Rincón is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco . It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 8 wards and Rincón Pueblo...
, and San Sebastián
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
. In January 1841 a Royal Order transferred the judicial party from Aguada to the new Town of Aguadilla. In 1878, according to Don Manuel Ebeda y Delgado, the territorial organization of Aguadilla had varied a little. At this time Plainela, Higüey, and Mangual wards are not mentioned. The Dos Palmas ward appears as Palmar. Also at this time, three new wards are mentioned: Guerrero, Caimital Alto, and Caimital Bajo. In 1898, even with the change of sovereignty in the island, the territorial organization of Aguadilla is the same to that of 1878. Nevertheless, in the Census of 1899, downtown Aguadilla appears constituted by Higüey, Iglesia, Nueva, Santa Barbara, and Tamarindo wards. Malezas ward appears subdivided into Maleza Alta and Maleza Baja. From that time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla did not change, until 1948, when the Puerto Rico Department of Planning prepared the map of the City of Aguadilla and its wards and following instructions of city authorities, Higüey and parts of Caimital Alto wards are annexed to Downtown Aguadilla.
Ramey
Aguadilla was the site of the U.S. military's Ramey Air Force BaseRamey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast...
for almost five decades. During this period, Aguadilla was home to the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
72nd Bombardment Wing, Heavy equipped with B-52s, a very strategic facility during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. During the early years of the base and throughout World War II, Puerto Ricans in the area became more Americanized than in remote locations, and the after effects are still apparent in Aguadilla, and other towns like Aguada, Moca and Isabela.
The military and Puerto Ricans from the surrounding communities generally had good formal relations, but the undercurrent of resentment in many aspects of the relationship was always just below the surface. The Ugly American attitude was far more prevalent in those days than today, and almost all Puerto Ricans have stories of abusive treatment or gross discrimination. They were often treated like second class citizens in their own homeland. In fact, many Americans stationed in the area didn't even realize that their fellow Americans were even American citizens. They expected the Puerto Ricans to treat them as if they were their great benefactors, rather than fellow American citizens.
Though the infrastructure still exists, it was handed over to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1973. The aerial facilities are now civilian controlled by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. The facilities now make up the Rafael Hernandez International Airport. The barracks now host the Faro Inn Suites, a 79-room hotel. The Officer's Club now hosts the Faro Conference Center, a 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²) meeting facility. The hospital is now the Courtyard by Marriott Punta Borinquen Resort & Casino, a 150-room hotel with a casino and the first Marriott in Puerto Rico out of the San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
Metropolitan Area.
Ramey also hosts the University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Campus
University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla is a state university located in the city of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.-General information:...
and the Friedrich Froebel Bilingual School (K-6). The High School became Ramey Job Corps Campus and the elementary school became the Esther Feliciano Mendoza Middle School. Centro de Adiestramiento y Bellas Artes (CABA) since 1979 has being the only plublic school of arts in Puerto Rico (7-12). In 138 Wing Road, Base Ramey you can find Alicia Sotomayor a well known watercolor artist.
Ramey is also the site of the new Ramey Skating Park and a new "mariposario" (butterfly farm).
There is still an active part of the base that hosts the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Borinquen Air Station. There are also other government agencies based at Ramey. They include the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, and the United States Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
, the Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción (United Forces for Rapid Action) of the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Puerto Rico National Guard
Puerto Rico National Guard
The Puerto Rico National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components with a total authorized strength of 10,000 soldiers and airmen. The Constitution of the United States specifically...
.
There is also a post office, the Centro de Servicios al Conductor (Driver's Services Center), a bakery, and a Banco Popular de Puerto Rico location.
San Antonio
The beginning of San Antonio Village was back in the mid-19th century. It was composed by 60 families. Originally the place where these families were located was known as Bajura de Vadi, place later to be known as San Antonio.In 1918, as a consequence of the San Fermín earthquake
1918 Puerto Rico earthquake
The San Fermín earthquake, also known as the Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918, was a major earthquake that struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14am on October 11, 1918. The magnitude for the earthquake has been reported at around 7.5 ; however, that might not be an exact number...
, the village was totally destroyed by a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. The families suffered the struggles cause by this natural disaster, due by the proximity of the village to the shore.
The residents of the village decided re-localize the village in a higher area further from shore. The new location was what today is known as Ramey.
At this new location prosperity was not to be delayed. Various leaders and commercial owners of the time, took a step to carry the village forward. Most of the poor houses disappeared.
The village's infrastructure started its evolution. Luis R. Esteves and Juan Garcia established the first two theaters in the area. A new was social club form, known as "Luz del Porvenir" (Light of the Future). A new school system was the pride of the village because it offered them the opportunity to give their children an education without having to go 9 miles (14.5 km) south downtown. There was also a new bakery and a post office, among other facilities. At this time, the village also began its Patron Festival.
The clothing industry was a major source of employment.
Prosperity and happiness came to an end, when the news that the Federal Government needed the land to build an air base that came to be known as Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast...
.In September 1939, some 3796 acres (15.4 km²) covered by sugar cane, was expropriated for the military at the cost of $1,215,000.
Since the foundation, the village has suffered three expropriations as a result of expansions to Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast...
. This expropriations delayed and ended the plans to turn San Antonio into a town.
Today, the population of San Antonio consists of approximately 10 thousand people. It has a modern square, a Puerto Rico State Police Station, a coliseum, an industrial park, public housing, a baseball park, a public school system, shops, and many other, charasteristics of a small town. Also, as a characteristic of a town, has a flag and an emblem. The creation of the flag and emblem was done by Roberto Román Acevedo.
Tragedy on election day in 1944
On the early morning hours of November 7, 1944, Puerto Rico suffered the most violent railroad accident in its history in Aguadilla. Train No. 3 was traveling from San Juan to PoncePonce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
carrying passengers to their different hometowns for the island general elections to be held that same day. It stopped at the Jimenez Station in Aguadilla for a routine engineer
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
and boilerman exchange with Train No. 4 which was heading towards San Juan. The engineer assigned to Train No. 3's ride from Jimenez Station to Ponce was Jose Antonio Roman, an experienced freight train engineer, but who had never worked in passenger travel. When the train left the station at 2:00am, it was hauling 6 passenger cars with hundreds of commuters and two freight cars.
At 2:20 a.m. the train started to descend a hill section known as Cuesta Vieja (Old Hill) in Aguadilla at what some witnesses described as an exaggerated speed. When the train reached the leveling-off point at the bottom of the hill it derailed
Derailment
A derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
. The steam locomotive crashed into a ditch where it exploded and one of the freight cars crashed into one of the passenger cars, killing many inside. Witnesses described the scene as horrendous, with some accounts stating that parents were throwing their children out the windows to save them from the wreckage. Chief of Police Guillermo Arroyo stated that the locomotive (No. 72), the express car, and three second class passenger cars were completely destroyed. Oscar Valle, an Aguadilla correspondent to the local El Mundo
El Mundo (Puerto Rico)
-History:El Mundo was founded in 1919 by Romualdo Real.In 1929, former corrector-turned-administrator Angel Ramos and journalist José Coll Vidal, bought the newspaper when Real retired. In 1946 Ramos was the sole owner of the newspaper.-Acquisitions:...
newspaper, summarized the scene in a more dramatic way: "The locomotive suffered a terrible explosion as it derailed, and the impact was so strong that 3 passenger cars were converted into a fantastic mound of wreckage. In the end, 16 passengers lost their lives, including the engineer and the boilerman, and 50 were injured in the crash.
Geography
Aguadilla is located in the northwest region of the island of Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, in the Western Coastal Valleys. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the municipalities of Isabela
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
, Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
, and Aguada
Aguada, Puerto Rico
Aguada is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, west of Rincón, Aguadilla and Moca; and north of Anasco. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
The area of the municipality is 35.5 square miles. It is mostly plain, with some notable hills being Jiménez (728 feet) and Viñet (689 feet). It has only one river, the Culebrinas
Culebrinas River
The Culebrinas River , is a river in northwest Puerto Rico. It originates in southwestern Lares and flows for till it empties into the Mona Passage south of downtown Aguadilla.- History :...
, which separates Aguadilla from Aguada.
Barrios
- Aguacate
- Aguadilla Pueblo
- Arenales
- Borinquen
- Caimital Alto - El seis
- Caimital Bajo
- Camaseyes
- Ceiba Alta
- Ceiba Baja
- Corrales - Urbanizacion Cristal
- Guerrero
- Maleza Alta
- Maleza Baja
- Montaña
- Palmar
- Victoria
Tourism
Aguadilla is part of Porta del SolPorta del Sol
Porta del Sol is a tourism region in western Puerto Rico. It consist of 17 municipalities in the western area: Quebradillas, Isabela, San Sebastián, Moca, Aguadilla, Aguada, Rincón, Añasco, Mayagüez, Las Marías, Maricao, Hormigueros, San Germán, Sábana Grande, Guánica, Lajas and Cabo Rojo. Porta...
, as the Puerto Rico west coast is now publicized by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
Two of the main attractions of the town are Las Cascadas Water Park and the Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena
Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena
Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena, A.I.S.A., is a multi-use facility in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The arena is the only ice skating facility in the Caribbean region. The facility is owned and administered by the city.-Brief history:...
, which is the only ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
complex in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Aguadilla is also known for its world class surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
beaches. Aguadilla's beaches, being the most numerous of all other municipalities, host a variety of amateur and professional surfing events every year. They have also hosted a variety of championships, including the ISA world championships in 1968 and 1988. Famous surfing spots in Aguadilla include "Surfer's Beach", "Table Tops", "Gas Chamber", "Las Ruinas", and "Survival".
Landmarks and Places of Interest
- Aguadilla City Hall - Originally built in 1918. Reconstructed after the 1918 earthquake.
- Banyan Treehouse - Wooden House around a banyanBanyanA banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
tree. Any of its parts touches the tree. - Campanitas de Cristal Fountain
- Cathedral San Carlos Barromeo
- Christopher Columbus Monument - Consists of a cross originally made of marble. It also had to be rebuilt after the earthquake.
- Cristobal Colón Park
- El Merendero
- El Parterre Jose de Jesus Esteves "Ojo de Agua"
- Fisherman's Monument
- Jardin del Atlántico Square
- Las Cascadas (The Waterfalls) Water Park
- Old Sugar Pier
- Paseo Miguel Garcia Mendez
- Punta Borinquen Golf Course - Is an 18 hole golf course, originally built for President Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. - Punta Borinquen LightPunta Borinquen LightPunta Borinquen Light is a lighthouse located in the old Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The station was established in 1889 by the Spanish government. With the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the lighthouse would become "the most important aid to navigation on the route from...
house - Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins
- Rafael Hernández Monument
- Rafael Hernandez Square
- Ramey Skate Park New
- Tribunal Supremo (Old Courthouse)
- Youth Fountain Juan Ponce de Leon Park
Beaches
- Crash Boat BeachCrash Boat BeachCrash Boat Beach or Playa Crash Boat is a beach located in the northwestern Puerto Rican municipality of Aguadilla. It occupies the site of a former military port used to rescue downed air crews from Ramey Air Force Base and still retains some remains of pier infrastructure...
- La Ponderosa Beach
- La Poza Beach
- La Saldinera Beach
- Surfer's Beach
- Wilderness Beach (Las Ruinas)
Aguadilla Artists
You can also visit Art Puerto Rico Gallery by the renowned watercolor painter Alicia Sotomayor.Festivals and Events
- Velorio de Reyes (Three Kings Watch)- January
- Festival de la Chiringa (Kite Festival) - April
- Fiestas San Antonio - April
- Verbena de Corrales - May
- Festival Playero (Beach Festival) - June
- Festival del Atún (Tuna Festival) - July
- Festival de la Música (Music Festival) - July
- Fiestas Patronales San Carlos (Patron Celebration) - October
Sports
The Aguadilla Divas of the Female Superior Volleyball League play their home games in the Luis T. Diaz ColiseumLuis T. Diaz Coliseum
Luis T. Diaz Coliseum is the main arena in Aguadilla , Puerto Rico. It is located on Marina Street facing the Atlantic Ocean. Currently seats 2,500+ for basketball & volleyball games and it's the former home of the Las Divas de Aguadilla of the Female Superior Volleyball League. Named after Luis T....
in Downtown Aguadilla from January to March. Also in Aguadilla is Parque Colón and the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League
Superior Baseball League
The Federación de Béisbol Aficionado de Puerto Rico is an AA professional spring baseball league based in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The league was founded in 1940. The season starts in Mid-February, and ends with the Carnaval de Campeones final in September. They play on a weekend schedule...
(Double-A) plays its home games at Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium from February to May.
Aguadilla is also a place where many famous baseball players originate from. There are plans for a future ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
Minor League Hockey franchise for the city. Also there are plans for a Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Exhibition game to be held at the Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aguadilla Sharks | Superior Baseball League Superior Baseball League The Federación de Béisbol Aficionado de Puerto Rico is an AA professional spring baseball league based in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The league was founded in 1940. The season starts in Mid-February, and ends with the Carnaval de Campeones final in September. They play on a weekend schedule... |
Baseball | Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium |
| Aguadilla Divas Aguadilla Divas Aguadilla Divas is a defunct female professional volleyball team that has played in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico at their home arena Luis T. Diaz Coliseum until January 4, 2006. They were part of the Female Superior Volleyball League. Mr... |
Female Superior Volleyball League | Volleyball | Luis T. Diaz Coliseum Luis T. Diaz Coliseum Luis T. Diaz Coliseum is the main arena in Aguadilla , Puerto Rico. It is located on Marina Street facing the Atlantic Ocean. Currently seats 2,500+ for basketball & volleyball games and it's the former home of the Las Divas de Aguadilla of the Female Superior Volleyball League. Named after Luis T.... |
Business
The retail sector has flourished with the building of the Aguadilla Mall along with Aguadilla Shopping Center, Aguadilla Town Center, Plaza Ferram, and Plaza Victoria. There are also stores on the downtown area.Major banks are represented in Aguadilla. These include the Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Citi bank, Banco Santander, Scotiabank
Scotiabank
The Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
, Westernbank and EuroBancshares, Inc.
Industrial
Aguadilla was once primarily a fishing village, but has changed with the times. Although there is still a great deal of commercial fishing in Aguadilla, the city is now also home to a variety of industrial plants ranging from TycoTyco
Tyco may refer to:* Tyco International, a diversified industrial conglomerate* Tyco Electronics, a former segment of Tyco International* Tyco Toys, a division of Mattel...
, LifeScan
LifeScan
LifeScan, Inc. is a Johnson & Johnson company headquartered in Milpitas, California.LifeScan manufactures and markets Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems like the OneTouch Ultra family for home and hospital use...
, Symmetricom, Honeywell, and Hewlett Packard at San Antonio Technological Park. These industrial plants have drastically increased the income per capita of Aguadilla, giving rise to a robust middle class and upper-middle class, by Puerto Rican standards.
Aguadilla has two other industrial sites: Montaña Industrial Park and Camaseyes. Suiza Dairy, Micron Technology
Micron Technology
Micron Technology, Inc. is an American multinational corporation based in Boise, Idaho, USA, best known for producing many forms of semiconductor devices. This includes DRAM, SDRAM, flash memory, SSD and CMOS image sensing chips. Consumers may be more familiar with its consumer brand Crucial...
and Productos La Aguadillana are located in Camaseyes. While the Puerto Rico State Police Academy, Automeca Technical College, and another branch of Hewlett Packard are located in Montaña.
Radio
- WABAWABA (AM)WABA is a radio station in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, that broadcasts on 850 kHz. The station has been on the air since 1953. WABA is the radio home to the Aguadilla Divas from the Female Superior Volleyball League & the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League.- External links :*...
WABA La Grande 850AM is located in Aguadilla. - WUNA-AM better known as Radio Una 1240AM is located in Aguadilla
Television
- WOLE-TVWOLE-TVWOLE-DT is a full-power television station licensed to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico transmitting over digital channel 12. The station has its studios in Aguadilla and its main offices are located in the Westernbank Building in downtown Mayagüez....
Telemundo 12 both in Aguadilla. - WELUWELUWELU is a full-power, religious television station in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 32, digital 34. The station is owned by Pavellón de la Victoria, an Evangelical Christian church.- External links :*...
is a religious broadcastBroadcastingBroadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
company. - WPRU-LPWPRU-LPWPRU-LP is an ABC-affiliated, low-power television station in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 20.Satellite and cable subscribers in Puerto Rico can watch WPRU on One Link, DirecTV, Choice Cable TV, and as part of the Puerto Rico locals package on Dish Network...
ABC 20 is an ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliated station. - WSJP-LPWSJP-LPWSJP-LP is a low-power television station in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 30. The station is owned by California-based LKK Group and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network and LATV...
CW 30 is a CW Television Network affiliated station. - WSJX-LPWSJX-LPWSJX-LP is a Fox-affiliated, low-power television station in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 24. The station is owned by LKK Group along with sister stations WPRU-LP channel 20, and WSJP-LP channel 30....
Fox 24 is a FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliated station.
Demographics
As a whole, Puerto Rico is populated mainly by people from a CreoleCreole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
(born on the Island of European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
descent) or Spanish and European descent, with small groups of African and Asian people. Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 83.6% of Aguadillanos have Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
or white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
origin, 5.0% are black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, 0.2% are Amerindian, 0.2% Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
, 8.2% were Some other race, 2.8% Two or more races.
City
Aguadilla City Government is based at the Alcaldia (Aguadilla City Hall) in Downtown Aguadilla. Aguadilla is governed by a mayor that is elected to a four-year term. There is also a City Council that is appointed by the mayor.State
Most state agencies are based at the Government Center Building with the exception of the Corporación del Seguro del Estado (State Insurance Agency) and the Centro de Servicios al Conductor (Driver's Services Center). Most state agencies left their offices after the Senatorial District was taken away from Aguadilla.Security
Aguadilla has its own police department, Policía Municipal Aguadilla (Aguadilla City Police Department), located in Aguadilla Pueblo. The A.C.P.D. only has jurisdiction in the municipality of Aguadilla and provide service and protection to local citizens and travelers alike.Aguadilla also hosts the Puerto Rico Police Department Command for the its Region. This region covers Aguada, Aguadilla, Isabela
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
, Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
, Rincón
Rincón, Puerto Rico
Rincón is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco . It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 8 wards and Rincón Pueblo...
and San Sebastián
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
. It also hosts the PRPD Highway Patrol Division for its region, the FURA Division of the PRPD, the US Army Reserve Center, PR National Guard, and the Border Patrol. Its also serve by another PRPD station in San Antonio Village (Precinct 203 Ramey-San Antonio).
Current
- Constructing a 5-story building called "Plaza Mercado" on the same site as the old "Plaza Mercado" (under construction)
- Electronic Library - Downtown Branch: Now Open
- Renovations to Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium (undergoing)
- "Paseo Real Marina" a new boardwalk along Aguadilla Bay (under construction)
- Renovations the beautiful Las Cascadas Water Park (Undergoing)
Mayors
| # | Mayor | Term | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Adrián del Valle | 1899–1903 | None | |
| 2nd | José Monserrate Deliz | 1903–1905 | None | |
| 3rd | Luis A. Torregrosa | 1905–1907 | None | |
| 4th | José Francisco Estévez | 1907–1911 | None | |
| 5th | Ramón Añeses Morell | 1911–1933 | None | |
| 6th | Wenceslao Herrera Alfonso | 1933–1941 | None | |
| 7th | José Badillo Nieves | 1941–1945 | None | |
| 8th | Rodolfo Acevedo | 1945 | None | |
| 9th | Fernando Milán | 1945–1949 | None | |
| 10th | Rafael Cabán Peña | 1949–1953 | None | |
| 11th | Rafael A. Guntín López | 1953–1957 | None | |
| 12th | Herminio Blás | 1957 | None | |
| 13th | José Acevedo Álvarez | 1957–1969 | None | |
| 14th | Emilio Cerezo Muñoz | 1969–1973 | NPP New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state... |
|
| 15th | Conchita Igartúa de Suárez | 1973–1977 | PDP Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth.... |
|
| 16th | Joaquín Acevedo Moreno | 1977–1981 | NPP New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state... |
|
| 17th | Alfredo González Pérez | 1981–1987 | PDP Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth.... |
|
| 18th | Gustavo Herrera López | 1987–1988 | PDP Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth.... |
Interim |
| 19th | Ramón Calero Bermúdez | 1988–1996 | NPP New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state... |
Pass away on 1996 |
| 20th | Agnes Bermúdez Acevedo | 1996–1997 | NPP New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state... |
Interim |
| 21st | Carlos Méndez Martínez | 1997 – Present | NPP New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state... |
Incumbent; fourth term |
Education
Aguadilla is home to 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Mostly owned & operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Education. It also hosts the Head Start Program for Aguadilla, AguadaAguada, Puerto Rico
Aguada is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the western coastal valley region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, west of Rincón, Aguadilla and Moca; and north of Anasco. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Moca
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
, Rincón
Rincón, Puerto Rico
Rincón is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco . It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 8 wards and Rincón Pueblo...
, and San Sebastián
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
and a number of private institutions.
Higher education
Aguadilla hosts the following universities:- Metropolitan University - Aguadilla Campus
- Inter-American University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Campus
- University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Campus
- Automeca Technical College
- Century College
- La Reine Institute of Cosmetology & Esthetics
- Universal Technology College of Puerto Rico (UniTech)
- Puerto Rico Criminal Justice College- Aguadilla Campus (Puerto Rico Police Academy) Ramey Job Corps also serves those who want to attain a higher education.
Aguadilla Library System
There is an existent library in San Antonio Village and another one Downtown Aguadilla.Health
There are two major medical facilities in Aguadilla.- Hospital Buen Samaritano (Good Samaritan Hospital)
- Aguadilla Medical Services
There are also a number of private doctor's offices.
Transportation
Air
Rafael Hernández AirportRafael Hernández Airport
Rafael Hernández Airport is an airport located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is named after the Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández Marín. The airport is the second international airport in Puerto Rico in the region of Porta del Sol, Puerto Rico's west coast.Rafael Hernandez Airport mainly...
is located in the city of Aguadilla. In recent years, it has seen a resurgence as an international airport in the island, with several airlines planning flights to the US from Aguadilla.
Roads
Interstate PR-2 (Rafael Henández Highway). Plans are underway for a new expressway, an expansion to existing Puerto Rico Highway 22Puerto Rico Highway 22
PR-22 is a 51-mile long toll road in the north coast of Puerto Rico that connects the cities of San Juan and Hatillo. The road is also known as the José de Diego Expressway , and is part of unsigned Interstate PR-2...
(José de Diego Expressway) from Hatillo
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Hatillo is a municipality located on Puerto Rico's north coast, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Lares and Utuado to the south, Camuy to the west, and Arecibo to the east. According to the 2000 US Census Hatillo is spread over 9 wards and Hatillo Pueblo...
and it will probably end at Puerto Rico Highway 111
Puerto Rico Highway 111
Puerto Rico Highway 111 is a long highway connecting Aguadilla, Puerto Rico at Puerto Rico Highway 2 and Puerto Rico Highway 115 to Utuado, Puerto Rico at Puerto Rico Highway 140...
.
External links
- Aguadilla and its barrios, United States Census Bureau
- Alicia Sotomayor, Puerto Rican Watercolor Artist
- Official Government Page of Municipality of Aguadilla
- Aguadilla.com - Portada
- Mi Aguadillita Querida
- WikiTravel: Aguadilla
- Welcome to Puerto Rico Aguadilla
- Map of Aguadilla Puerto Rico
- Aguadilla Web
- Porta del Sol: Aguadilla