Hormigueros, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Hormigueros is a municipality
of Puerto Rico
located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo
; northwest of San Germán
; and south of Mayagüez
. Hormigueros is spread over 5 wards and Hormigueros Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area.
region, located on the southernwest portion of Puerto Rico. Archaeological findings have established that there were tribes already settled in the region around 820 BC.
During the Spanish colonization at the beginning of the 16th century, it is possible that some of them settled in the area. A coffin found underground a basilica
was tested in laboratories and was dated prior to 1600. Some historians also mentioned the Horomico river as one of the main sources of gold during the rush of the era. In 1692, the town of Hormigueros was first established, first as a village of San Germán
.
From 1863 to 1873, residents of the area started petitioning for the area to be declared an independent town. In 1874, it was finally granted independence from San Germán.
On 2005, Hormigueros gained notoriety when Filiberto Ojeda Ríos
, leader of clandestine paramilitary group Los Macheteros was shot and killed in his house on the outskirts of Hormigueros. Ojeda Ríos had been living clandestinely for more than 20 years after escaping from the law.
. Superposed on the white rhombus is another blue rhombus with a white globe outlined in blue with a cross.
. The second refers to the topographic formation of the town which consists of countless hills resembling "anthills", reason why it was called "Valle del Hormiguero" or "Anthill Valley". Third, it is possible that the name was originated from a Taíno
word: Horomico, which means "río de oro" or "river of gold" due to the importance of the rivers in the area during the gold rush
of the Spanish colonization.
.
To get source about the Hormigueros districts : http://ceepur.org/censo2000/barrios.php?municipio=HS
Some urbanizations are located outside Hormigueros downtown:
The economy of Hormigueros is still developing. In the 80’s and 90’s Allergan, Inc. (a pharmaceutical company) had a subsidiary established in town boosting the economic development of Hormigueros. However, after Allergan left, no other private industry has explored this town. On the other hand, Hormigueros does provide abundant land, talent and accessibility for an economic development and expansion. Not far away there are two regional airports: Eugenio María de Hostos Airport at Mayaguez, and the Mercedita Airport at Ponce. In addition, they have the Rafael Hernández International Airpot at Aguadilla, all within 30 miles approximately.
of 1,510.3 people per square mile (580.9/km²). Since the 1950s, the population has more than doubled. According to the 1950 census, there were 6,916 people living in Hormigueros.
As a whole, Puerto Rico is mainly made up of people from a Creole (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 86.0% of Hormiguereños have Spanish or White
origin, 4.9% are black
, 0.2% are Amerindian etc.
region. From 1863 to 1873, neighbors of Hormigueros made formal petitions to be separated from San Germán and be declared an independent municipality. They were finally granted their independence as a municipality on April 1, 1874 being its first mayor Narciso Oller Serra.
However, after the American invasion of 1898, Hormigueros was annexed this time to the town of Mayaguez
. The annexation was ordered by Guy V. Henry, but according to Adolfo de Hostos, it was a town's petition. In 1912, they were granted their independence once again, although there were attempts to annex them again during 1928-29.
.
Some of the local schools are:
These are:
provides access to Hormigueros from the nearby city of Mayaguez
, or from Ponce
. The rest of the roads on the town are mostly rural.
Like most other towns in the island, it counts with a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Puerto Rico
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...
located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo is a municipality situated on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico and forms part of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo metropolitan area as well as the larger Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area....
; northwest of San Germán
San Germán, Puerto Rico
San Germán 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...
; and south of Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
. Hormigueros is spread over 5 wards and Hormigueros Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The region of what is now Hormigueros belonged to the GuayniaGuaynia
Guaynia was the territory that stretched along the southern coast of Puerto Rico in pre-Columbian times. The Taino cacique Agueybana ruled the area around Guayanilla when Christopher Columbus landed in Puerto Rico in 1493....
region, located on the southernwest portion of Puerto Rico. Archaeological findings have established that there were tribes already settled in the region around 820 BC.
During the Spanish colonization at the beginning of the 16th century, it is possible that some of them settled in the area. A coffin found underground a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
was tested in laboratories and was dated prior to 1600. Some historians also mentioned the Horomico river as one of the main sources of gold during the rush of the era. In 1692, the town of Hormigueros was first established, first as a village of San Germán
San Germán, Puerto Rico
San Germán 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...
.
From 1863 to 1873, residents of the area started petitioning for the area to be declared an independent town. In 1874, it was finally granted independence from San Germán.
On 2005, Hormigueros gained notoriety when Filiberto Ojeda Ríos
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos was the commander-in-chief of the Boricua Popular Army , a clandestine paramilitary organization that considers United States rule over Puerto Rico to be oppressive colonization and advocates the latter's independence.Ojeda Ríos was a...
, leader of clandestine paramilitary group Los Macheteros was shot and killed in his house on the outskirts of Hormigueros. Ojeda Ríos had been living clandestinely for more than 20 years after escaping from the law.
Flag
The town's flag consists of a blue cloth with a horizontal white rhombusRhombus
In Euclidean geometry, a rhombus or rhomb is a convex quadrilateral whose four sides all have the same length. The rhombus is often called a diamond, after the diamonds suit in playing cards, or a lozenge, though the latter sometimes refers specifically to a rhombus with a 45° angle.Every...
. Superposed on the white rhombus is another blue rhombus with a white globe outlined in blue with a cross.
Coat of Arms
The town's shield is formed by a blue rhombus, with silver-plated edge. On the blue bottom there's a green hill which is a representation of Our Lady of Monserrate de Hormigueros' Sanctuary, with its silver stairway. The border has symmetrical black dots, on guard. On the top of the shield resides a crown formed by a wall, with three towers that have blue doors and windows. The joints of the stones are filled with blue lines. The shield is surrounded by two chains that begin at the crown and finish under the bottom part of the shield with the last links broken.Name
The name of Hormigueros means "anthill" in English. The town possibly derives its name from three concepts. The first one refers to the crowds that gathered at the Basilica Menor on September 8 to honor the Virgin of MontserratVirgin of Montserrat
The Virgin of Montserrat is a statue of the Virgin Mary and infant Christ venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery in the Montserrat mountain in Catalonia....
. The second refers to the topographic formation of the town which consists of countless hills resembling "anthills", reason why it was called "Valle del Hormiguero" or "Anthill Valley". Third, it is possible that the name was originated from a Taíno
Taíno language
Taíno, an Arawakan language, was the principal language of the Caribbean islands at the time of the Spanish Conquest, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Florida Keys, and the Lesser Antilles...
word: Horomico, which means "río de oro" or "river of gold" due to the importance of the rivers in the area during the gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
of the Spanish colonization.
Geography
The municipality of Hormigueros can be divided in three areas: the northern mountainous region that covers one fourth of the town, with hills of relative height; a semi-mountainous region that extends from east to west covering downtown Hormigueros; and the flat, valley-like region that extends towards the south covering 5.6 square miles. It is the second-smallest Puerto Rican municipality in land area, larger than only CatañoCataño, Puerto Rico
Cataño is a municipality located on northern coast of Puerto Rico bordering the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent to the north and east by San Juan; north of Bayamón and Guaynabo; east of Toa Baja and west of Guaynabo and is part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area. Cataño is spread over 7 wards and...
.
Climate
The climate conditions of Hormigueros are hot and humid. The average temperature is of 72°F to 79°F.Barrios
The town of Hormigueros is divided itself into several barrios or districts:- Benavente
- Guanajibo
- Hormigueros
- Hormigueros Pueblo
- Jaguitas
- Lavadero
To get source about the Hormigueros districts : http://ceepur.org/censo2000/barrios.php?municipio=HS
Some urbanizations are located outside Hormigueros downtown:
- Buenaventura (Goodwill)
- San Romualdo Norte (North Saint Ronald)
- San Romualdo Sur (South Saint Ronald)
- Valle Hermoso Norte (North Beautiful Valley)
- Valle Hermoso Sur (South Beautiful Valley)
Tourism
Despite its small size, Hormigueros still has several few attractions for visitors. Some of them are:- Birán Recreational Farm
- Central Eureka (sugar refinery)
- Basilica Menor de la Virgen de MonserrateBasilica Menor de la Virgen de MonserrateThe Basílica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate is a basilica built in the town of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat.-History:...
The economy of Hormigueros is still developing. In the 80’s and 90’s Allergan, Inc. (a pharmaceutical company) had a subsidiary established in town boosting the economic development of Hormigueros. However, after Allergan left, no other private industry has explored this town. On the other hand, Hormigueros does provide abundant land, talent and accessibility for an economic development and expansion. Not far away there are two regional airports: Eugenio María de Hostos Airport at Mayaguez, and the Mercedita Airport at Ponce. In addition, they have the Rafael Hernández International Airpot at Aguadilla, all within 30 miles approximately.
Demographics
Hormigueros is one of the least populated municipalities of Puerto Rico, perhaps due to its small size. The population, according to the 2000 census, was 16,614 with a population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 1,510.3 people per square mile (580.9/km²). Since the 1950s, the population has more than doubled. According to the 1950 census, there were 6,916 people living in Hormigueros.
As a whole, Puerto Rico is mainly made up of people from a Creole (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 86.0% of Hormiguereños have Spanish 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, 4.9% 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 etc.
| Race - Hormigueros, Puerto Rico - 2000 Census | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Population | % of Total |
| 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... |
14,283 | 86.0% |
| Black/African American | 811 | 4.9% |
| American Indian Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... and Alaska Native |
31 | 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 :... |
21 | 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:... |
4 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1,063 | 6.4% |
| Two or more races | 401 | 2.4% |
Government
After its initial establishment, Hormigueros belonged to the San GermánSan Germán, Puerto Rico
San Germán 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...
region. From 1863 to 1873, neighbors of Hormigueros made formal petitions to be separated from San Germán and be declared an independent municipality. They were finally granted their independence as a municipality on April 1, 1874 being its first mayor Narciso Oller Serra.
However, after the American invasion of 1898, Hormigueros was annexed this time to the town of Mayaguez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
. The annexation was ordered by Guy V. Henry, but according to Adolfo de Hostos, it was a town's petition. In 1912, they were granted their independence once again, although there were attempts to annex them again during 1928-29.
Education
Hormigueros counts with several public and private schools distributed through several regions. Public education is handled by the Puerto Rico Department of EducationPuerto Rico Department of Education
The Puerto Rico Department of Education is the department of Puerto Rico's government which manages state-operated schools in the United States commonwealth. The department is the equivalent of a state department of education and only one of two composed of a single school district...
.
Some of the local schools are:
- Ana Pagán
- Miguel Angel
- Giraldo González
- Ramon Rodríguez Dias
- Segundo Ruiz Belvis
High Education
At the same time, most of the population (21-35) has either a bachelor or a higher degree, making the town one of the most talented one in the Island of Puerto Rico. This is due to the fact that Hormiguros have several educative institutions within 45 miles.These are:
- Inter-American UniversityInteramerican University of Puerto RicoThe Inter American University of Puerto Rico —or Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico in Spanish, and often referred as "Inter"— is a private university system in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1912 in San German, Puerto Rico. The University has campuses in Aguadilla, Arecibo, Barranquitas,...
– San Germán Campus - University of Puerto Rico at MayagüezUniversity of Puerto Rico at MayagüezThe University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
Campus - Pontifical Catholic UniversityPontifical Catholic University of Puerto RicoThe Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses in the areas of education, business administration, arts and human studies and science, leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate Degrees. Its campus is also home...
– Mayagüez Campus - Universidad del EsteUniversidad del EsteUniversidad del Este Eastern University in English— is a private non-profit institution of higher education and a component of the Ana G...
– Cabo Rojo Campus - Eugenio María de Hostos School of LawEugenio María de Hostos School of LawThe Facultad de Derecho Eugenio Maria de Hostos is a law school located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The School was founded by Fernando Bayrón, Juan Mari Brás and Carlos Rivera Lugo in 1995...
in Mayagüez - Universidad Adventista de las AntillasAntillean Adventist UniversityThe Antillean Adventist University is a private, coeducational, Christian, and non-profit university in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico...
in Mayagüez
Transportation
Puerto Rico Highway 2Puerto Rico Highway 2
Puerto Rico Highway 2, the longest highway in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico at about 156 miles long, connects San Juan to Ponce....
provides access to Hormigueros from the nearby city of Mayaguez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, or from Ponce
Ponce, 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...
. The rest of the roads on the town are mostly rural.
Like most other towns in the island, it counts with a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town.