Vega Alta, Puerto Rico

Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Municipality
Flag
Nickname(s): Pueblo de los Ñangotaos", "Los Maceteros
Anthem: "En la costa norte de mi islita"
Location of Vega Alta in Puerto Rico
Coordinates:
Country	United States
Founded	1775
Government
• Mayor	Isabelo Molina (PNP)
• Senatorial dist.	3 - Arecibo
• Representative dist.	11,12
Area
• Total	27.75 sq mi (71.87 km2)
Population (2010)
• Total	39,951
• Density	1,400/sq mi (560/km2)
Demonym(s)	Vegalteños
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)
Zip code	00692

Vega Alta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbeɣa ˈalta]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is located on the northern coast of the island, north of Morovis and Corozal; east of Vega Baja; and west of Dorado with an area of 28 square miles (73 km²). Vega Alta is spread over seven wards and Vega Alta Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Vega Alta is west of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is known for the beach at Cerro Gordo. Other points of interest include the town's Catholic church, known as Inmaculada Concepción, founded in 1813, and the Vega Alta Forest.

During the first week of December, Vega Alta celebrates its patron, The Immaculate Conception.

History

Vega Alta was founded in 1775 by Francisco de los Olivos. It was first named La Vega de Espinosa and known as el pueblo de los Ñangotaos ("the squatters", in reference to the "jíbaros" country folk who would squat due to lack of benches to wait for the train). Before this it was part of a group of towns known as "Las Vegas." It was then that one area was named Vega Baja and the other Vega Alta.

On October 12, 1898 the city's mayor, Francisco Vega, received U.S. troops as part of the Spanish–American War. On that same day, for the first time in Vega Alta's history, the U.S. flag was lifted on city hall. From 1902 to 1905, Vega Alta became once more part of the neighbor city of Vega Baja. In 1905, the government of Puerto Rico passed a law, allowing Vega Alta to become a municipality with its own limits.

Geography

• Rivers: Río Cibuco, Río Mavilla and Río Unibón.
• Beaches: Cerro Gordo Beach
• Land area: 27.75 square miles (71.87 km²)
• Water area: 9.76 square miles (25.28 km²)

Climate

According to the Weather Channel's website, June is the warmest month, March is the coolest month, October is the wettest month, and June is the driest month. Records:

• The highest recorded temperature was 98 °F in July 2007.
• The lowest recorded temperature was 40 °F in January 1945.

Source: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/vacationclimatology/monthly/00692?from=vac_guide_dom

Cityscape

Barrios

• Bajura
• Candelaria
• Cienegueta
• Espinosa
• Maricao
• Mavilla
• Sabana
• Pueblo (downtown)
• Corea
• Manantial
• Las colinas
• Breñas

Economy

Agriculture

• Banana, fruits, grains, and sugar cane.
• Flowers and ornamental plants.
• Dairy and meat cattle, pigs, and poultry.

Industry

• Manufacture of chemicals, electrical and electronic machinery, furniture, food, and plastics.
• Logistics Center

Culture

Sports

Vega Alta Maceteros (Double A Baseball League)

Vega Alta is known for having amateur ball players as well as professional. Basketball is played in local communities. Other sports practiced include tennis, volleyball, handball, cock fighting, and amateur surfing among others.

Vega Alta is also known for having famous Major League Baseball players such as The Molina Brothers which consist of Yadier Molina, Bengie Molina and José Molina. Other famous sport personalities include former New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams and professional boxer Ángel Chacón.

Music

A well known musician from Vega Alta was Ladislao Martinez a.k.a. "El Maestro Ladi" (June 27, 1898–February 1, 1979), a master cuatro musician. He became the first Puerto Rican to play a cuatro solo on the radio.

Fiel a la Vega, a rock en español (rock in Spanish) band, was formed in 1994. Band members Tito Auger and Ricky Laureano are from Vega Alta, while brothers Pedro Arraiza and Jorge Arraiza come from next-door Vega Baja. Their first album spawned hits like "Salimos de Aquí" and "El Wanabí", both of which were released with videos.

Festivals and events

• Three Kings Fiestas - January
• Sung Rosary - February
• Vegalteño Carnival - February
• Kite Festival - July
• Virgen del Carmen Walk - July
• Rooster Festival - October
• Patron Festivities - December

Demographics

• Population: 37,910 as of 2000 U.S. Census
• Density: 527.5 per km² (1,366.1 per sq mi)
• Housing units: 13,526
• Housing density: 188.2 per km²
• Per capita income: $7,356

Government

The main women's prison of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Escuela Industrial para Mujeres in Vega Alta, opened in 1954, replacing a prison in Areceibo; work began on the facility in 1952. Puerto Rico also operates the Hogar de Adaptación Social en Vega Alta, which opened in 1987.

Past and present mayors

• Teodomiro Ramirez
• Antonio Navas Rumoroso
• Lorenzo Cabrera
• Emilio Escalera
• Arturo Rivera
• Ramon Cestero
• Emilio Davila Diaz
• Jose Vega Nevarez
• Francisco Chinea
• Carmelo Mercado
• Jacinto Seijo
• Jose Rosado Negron, (1977–1980; b. 1934, d. 1999)
• Manuel "Manolin" Chinea (PDP, 1981–1993)
• Isabelo "Chabelo" Molina (PNP, 1993–2001)
• Juan "Mane" Cruzado (PPD, 2001–2002) resigned, Vice-Mayor Jose Colon assumed post.
• Jose Colon (PPD, 2002–2004)
• Isabelo "Chabelo" Molina (PNP, 2004–present)

Transportation

Puerto Rico's Highway 22 provides access to Vega Alta from the far away city of Mayaguez, or from San Juan. Highway 2 also provides access from the western cities of Manatí, Arecibo and the eastern cities of Bayamón and Guaynabo bordering the shore to the Atlantic Ocean. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the town from San Juan.

• The closest airport is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina.
• Other public transportation close to the area is El Tren Urbano (TU).

Education

Public schools

• Antonio Paoli/Elementary
• Elemental Urbana/Elementary
• Elisa Davila Vazquez/Elementary
• Ignacio Miranda/elementary school
• Dr. Cañaco Stalingrad III/ High School
• Jose D. Rosado/Elementary
• Jose M. Pagan/Elementary
• Rafael Hernadez/Elementary
• Apolo San Antonio/Former high school

Middle School]]

• Nueva Escuela Brenas/Middle School, Second Unit
• Adelaida Vega/Middle School, Second Unit
• Ileana de Gracia/High School
• Ladislao Martinez (Maestro Ladi)/Second High School

Private schools

• Academia Dicipulos de Cristo (Disciples of Christ)/Elementary and Middle School
• Colegio de la Vega
• Academia Cambu

Further reading

• Leonardo Santana-Rabell. Historia de Vega Alta de Espinosa. 2da edición, Editorial La Torre del Viejo, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, 1995.
• Domingo Figueroa Ramirez. Memorias y versos: Desde algun rincón de Vega Alta. 1era edición Vega Coop y Econo Mendez Class

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• History of Puerto Rico
• Did you know-Puerto Rico?

References

• http://www.senadopr.us/
• Municipio de Vega Alta (787) 883-5900. Fax: (787) 883-7832