Gurabo, Puerto Rico

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Gurabo, Puerto Rico
Flag of Gurabo, Puerto Rico
Flag
Nickname(s): El Pueblo de las Escaleras", "Puerta del Turismo del Sureste
Location within the island of Puerto Rico
Location within the island of Puerto Rico
Country United States
Territory Puerto Rico
Founded 1815
Government
 - Mayor Víctor Manuel Ortiz Díaz (PNP)
 - Senatorial dist. 7 - Humacao
 - Representative dist. 31,32
Area
 - Total 28.3 sq mi (73.24 km²)
 - Land 27.8 sq mi (72.11 km²)
 - Water 0.4 sq mi (1.13 km²)
Population (2000)
 - Total 36,743
 - Density 1,319.9/sq mi (509.6/km²)
 - Gentilic Gurabeños
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
Anthem – "En un valle rodeado por montañas nace un"
Website: http://www.gurabopr.com

Gurabo (goo-RAH-bo) is a municipality (municipio) in eastern Puerto Rico located in the central eastern region, north of San Lorenzo; south of Trujillo Alto; east of Caguas; and west of Carolina and Juncos. Gurabo is spread over 9 wards and Gurabo Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

History

Gurabo's history dates as far back as the 1600s, when Gurabo was actually part of Caguas. Then, the area was known as Turabo. By 1700, transportation, medical and economic trouble were crippling the population of the Turabo area; traveling to Caguas' center for business and medical help was not easy and took hours. This led to many of Turabos citizens to seek for the area to gain autonomy.

It would be long, however, before Gurabo was separated from Caguas. The separation movement was brought forward by an 1812 meeting of all 168 family leaders in Gurabo, who decided to have Luis del Carmen Echevarría lead them in their quest for autonomic independence, based on the large number of residents in Turabo.

In 1815, Gurabo became a municipality. In 1822, the first Catholic church in town was erected. In 1903, the First Baptist Church opened its doors in Gurabo town.

Gurabo is also known as "La Ciudad de las Escaleras", or "city of the stairs", for which Gurabo is known today for. Located in the town center, the stairs are about twenty two floors high, and they are painted in bright colors. They cross an important business area of Gurabo. Gurabo's mayor is Victor M. Ortiz Diaz.

Flag

With eleven stripes, six green and five yellow, alternated, the yellow with the superior (top) edge indented forming a stairway.

Coat of Arms

In a green field resides a widened gold patriarcal cross. Below the bottom arm are two shields in silver. The one on the left has a fleur de lis and the one on the right three lilies with stems in a natural way. Three towers in gold crown the shield.

Demographics

Barrios (Districts/Wards)1

  • Celada
  • Gurabo Pueblo
  • Hato Nuevo
  • Jaguar
  • Jaguas
  • Mamey
  • Masas
  • Navarro
  • Quebrada Infierno
  • Rincón

Geo/Topography

  • Loiza River

Anthem

By Miguel Monserrate

En un valle rodeado por montañas nace un
pueblo de entre el barro.
Con valor fue creado por hombre de fe
y constancia para honrar
y alabar al Creador.

En Gurabo un pueblo con mucho orgullo
de costumbres de cultura y devoción
donde el tiempo se detiene ante el arrullo
de su gente de su historia y tradición.

Gurabo es mi pueblo, es mi hogar,
es mi vida, es mi orgullo, es mi cantar,
es mi música, es mi sueño, es mi luchar...
mi instrumento de alegría y mi soñar.

Gurabo es mi pueblo, es mi hogar,
escalera al paraíso terrenal
de las voces de su gente surge el himno
que se cantará por toda la eternidad.

Economic

Agriculture

  • Dairy Farms

Business

Industrial

Manufacturing (metal, paper, plastics, chemistries, phamaceuticals, textiles, electrical and electronic equipment, and electrical machinery)

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

  • Centro de Exposición
  • Cofresí Park
  • Del Turabo University Museum
  • Hacienda Mirador
  • Loíza Lagoon

Festivals and events

  • San José Patron Festivities - March
  • Mapeyé Festival - October

Education

Sports

Gurabo has a baseball academy named [Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School (PRBAHS)][1].

Notable "Gurabeños"

  • Rakim & Ken-Y, José Nieves (Rakim) and Kenny Vázquez (Ken-Y), reggaetón artists

References

External links

More information can be found at the Municipal Government website: http://www.gurabopr.com

Coordinates: 18°15′16″N 65°58′23″W / 18.25444, -65.97306

Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 14:31.

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