San Germán (sahn her-MAHN) 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 (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
San German is the second oldest city of Puerto Rico, after San Juan. The island of Puerto Rico was once split between the San Juan part and the San German part. The latter extended from a line from Arecibo in the north to Ponce in the south, westward to the sea.
History
Founding
There is evidence that the city of San Germánia existed as far back as 1573. A letter sent to Spain's king Philip II talked about a city with the names of Nueva Salamanca and San Germán. Spanish conquerors used the name Nueva Salamanca to honor the city of Salamanca in Spain.
The actual city of San Germán originated around the same time as the colonization of Puerto Rico began. While the city itself was never located in the southern coast of the island, a statement commonly mentioned, but wrong, its history is closely tied with the town of Santa Maria de Guadianilla. The town was founded by order of Juan Ponce de León after a Taíno uprising on February 1511. This initial town was destroyed by French corsairs and the populace retreated inland.
In November 1511, Juan Ponce de León handed over the governorship of Puerto Rico to Juan Cerón, lieutenant to Viceroy Diego Colón. Cerón ordered Miguel de Toro, a lieutenant of Juan Ponce de León, to create a "Christian township" on the western part of Boriquen, calling it San Germán. This town was established on December 1511 on the mouth of the Guaorabo River, near the area known today as Añasco. This town was attacked by French corsairs in August 1528, May 1538 and 1554. The construction of a small fort began on 1540, but work stopped on 1546, when the population of the town began moving inland. Even with the exodus of people, the port of Guaorabo was still used by those who left.
On May 12, 1570, the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo (See Audiencia) ordered that both the populations of San Germán and Santa Maria de Guadianilla be merged into a single city due to the constant attacks. The new city would be built on the hills of Santa Marta, next to the Guanajibo River, on 1573. Its official name was Nueva Villa de Salamanca, named after the city of Salamanca, in Spain. However, the population would call the city San Germán el Nuevo (The New San Germán) and, eventually, the Villa de San Germán (The Village of San Germán).
Flag
Green - Colors of the Shield of Chistopher Columbus and his son, Virrey of America. White - The purity of the blood of the great families who colonized San Germán. Violet - Color of the Shield of Juan Ponce de Leon, first governor of Puerto Rico.
Coat of Arms
First Quarter: A green field a royal gold castle. Second Quarter: The second quarter exhibits the arms of the kingdoms of Aragon and Sicily, where don Fernando the Catholic reigned. Third Quarter: In this quarter the arms combine with the County of Foix and the Kingdom of France, which constitute the family shields of Germana de Foix whose name perpetuates the city of San Germán. Fourth Quarter: Is Ponce de Leon's shield, The Crown: Is a civic or municipal standard and is used as a stamp for towns and cities, San Germán was assigned five towers to denote that this population formally obtained the title of city from the Spanish crown, in the last century.
Demographics
Barrios (Districts/Wards)
- Ancones
- Caín Alto
- Caín Bajo
- Cotuí
- Duey Alto
- Duey Bajo
- Guamá
- Hoconuco Alto
- Hoconuco Bajo
- Maresúa
- Minillas
- Retiro
- Rosario Alto
- Rosario Bajo
- Rosario Peñón
- Sabana Eneas
- Sabana Grande Abajo
- Tuna
Geo/Topography
Mountains; Alto del Descanso (768 meters) and Tetas de Cerro Gordo (883 meters). Rivers; Caín, Cupeyes, Guanajibo, Hoconuco and Nuevo Pasos.
Economic
Agriculture
Fruits and Sugar cane. Dairy farms are present in small scale.
Industrial
Electrical items, electronic machinery, nutritional products, pharmaceutical, textile.
Tourism
Porta Coeli Church - San Germán, Puerto RicoSan Germán is the site of the Porta Coeli church, one of the earliest Spanish cathedrals built in Latin America. Porta Coeli is still a major attraction that brings both domestic and international tourists every year.
Landmarks and Places of Interest
- Bolas Bridge Casa Morales Ceiba de la Libertad Historic Gallery Lola Rodríguez de Tió Museum Ramírez de Arrellano y Rossell Museum Santo Domingo Plazuela Three Races and One Culture Mural.
Festivals and Events
- Patron Celebrations - July
- Anón Festival - September
- Christmas Festival - December
Sports
San Germán has only one professional sports team, BSN's San Germán Athletics. Nicknamed either El monstruo anaranjado (The orange monster, in reference to their uniform) or Los nenes, San Germán's basketball team has been one of the most successful in Puerto Rican basketball history, winning thirteen championships. From 1955 to 1985 the Atléticos did not win a championship. But the 1985 team, helped by Jose Ortiz, beat the Guaynabo Mets in six games to win the national title, and, at the same time, helped San Germán revitalize its economy by making many Puerto Ricans outside San Germán aware of the city.
Notable Sangermeños
- Aurelio Tió - Historian
- Francisco Mariano Quiñones - Abolition leader, politician and writer.
- Juan F. Acosta - Composer
- Lola Rodríguez de Tió - Poet and patriotic.
- Manuel F. Rossy - Lawyer, journalist, orator and leader of the statehood movement.
- Samuel R. Quiñones - Participated in the Liberal Party and was one of the founders of the Popular Party.
San Germán, Puerto Rico. (2006, September 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:55, October 20, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=San_Germ%C3%A1n%2C_Puerto_Rico&oldid=78571183
