Archivo Histórico de Ponce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Archivo Histórico de Ponce |
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| Current location of Archivo Histórico de Ponce at the grid formed by Calles Guadalupe, Salud, Estrella, and Mayor | |
| Type | Government Archive |
| Established | 1812 |
| Location | Ponce Servicios, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°00′57″N 66°36′44″W / 18.01575°N 66.61216°W |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | Letters, maps, brochures, photos, newspaper clippings, newspapers, microfilms, cancelled municipal payroll checks, municipal employee files, books. Also registry of slaves, architectural plans, films, and sound tracks. |
| Size | Over 1 million items indexed in more than 300,000 files |
| Criteria for collection | City government documents about the founding, history and evolution of Ponce from the 1812 Municipal Assembly until the present |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Historian, university professor, legislator, and researcher |
| Circulation | 0 |
| Population served | Historians, legislators, university professors, and researchers |
| Members | 18,000 |
| Other information | |
| Director | Gladys Esther Tormes Gonzalez |
| Staff | 32 |
| Website | http://ponce.inter.edu/cai/connections/html/archivo.html |
| Phone number | (787) 843–1422 |
The Archivo Histórico de Ponce is a very important place in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It's like a giant memory bank for the city! People say it's the most complete historical archive in all of Puerto Rico. It keeps old documents, photos, and other treasures that tell the story of Ponce.
Contents
The Story of the Archive
How the Archive Began
Even way back in 1882, there was an office at the Ponce City Hall that looked after important city records. It was called the "Archivo de la Secretaria del Municipio de Ponce." The first two people in charge of these records were Dimas Gilas and Enrique León.
The idea of saving the city's important documents in an organized way really started to take shape in the 1940s. This happened when Mayor Grillasca was in charge. But the archive itself had been around for a long time before that.
Moving to New Homes
In 1973, Luis A. Morales, who was the mayor at the time, decided to restart the project. He talked with the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Puerto Rican Institute of Culture) about what to do next. They all agreed that the City Hall wasn't big enough for the growing collection of documents.
So, on June 19, 1975, Mayor Morales moved the Archivo. It went to a space next to Teatro La Perla, which is a famous theater. This space had just been left empty by the city's library.
In 1995, the Archivo moved again. This time, it went to Calle Marina, right across from Plaza Degetau. It was in the building where the old Felipe Garcia store used to be. This move was supposed to be temporary. The plan was to move the archive to a new building later.
Finding a Permanent Spot
The new building was finished in 2007. But only the Ponce Public Library moved into it. The Archivo stayed at the old Felipe Garcia store location for a while longer.
Finally, in 2013, the Archivo moved to its current home. It is now located in the Ponce Servicios building.
What's Inside the Archive?
A Treasure Trove of Documents
The Archivo Histórico de Ponce holds all the official papers from the city government of Ponce. It also has many items that private citizens have donated. You can even find documents about other towns in Puerto Rico here!
The archive has about 100 million documents! That's a huge number. These documents are organized into about 300,000 files.
Types of Historical Records
You can find all sorts of interesting things at the Archivo. These include:
- Letters
- Maps
- Brochures
- Photos
- Newspaper clippings
- Full newspapers
- Microfilms (tiny pictures of documents)
- Old city payroll checks
- Files about city employees
- Books
They also keep special records like:
- A complete list of enslaved people from the past
- Architectural plans (blueprints of buildings)
- Old films
- Sound recordings
- Newspapers dating all the way back to 1874
The archive also has city government documents. These tell the story of how Ponce was founded, its history, and how it has changed. These records go back to the first city meeting in 1812 and continue to the present day.
How the Archive Works
Space and Staff
The Archivo is set up in a very organized way. It has a large building with about 19,700 square feet of space. This space is spread out over three different levels.
The Archivo Histórico has 32 employees. Among them are 12 professional archivists. These are people who are specially trained to take care of old documents and make sure they are preserved.
Who Visits the Archive?
Researchers and Historians
The Archivo Histórico is a popular place for people who want to learn about the past. Over 18,000 visitors come every year!
These visitors include:
- Historians (people who study history)
- University professors
- Legislators (people who make laws)
- Researchers from Puerto Rico and other countries
They all come to use the amazing collection of documents to learn more about Ponce's history.
Where is the Archive Located?
The Archivo has been in several places over the years.
- It started at the Ponce City Hall.
- In 1975, it moved to the second floor of Teatro La Perla.
- Later, it moved to Calle Marina, across from Plaza Las Delicias. This was in the building that used to be the Felipe Garcia department store.
- Around 2014, it moved to the Ponce Servicios building. This is where it is located today (as of 2018).
Head Archivists
Here is a list of the people who have been in charge of the Archivo Histórico de Ponce:
- Dimas Gila (? – December 20, 1882)
- Enrique León (December 20, 1882 – January 24, 1890)
- Ramón Dapena (January 24, 1890 – ??)
- Carlos Giorgetti and Ulises Olivieri ( ?? – June 16, 1915)
- Ernesto Esbri Roubert (June 16, 1915 – ??)
- Antonio Mirabal ( ?? – 1966)
- Billy Fourquet (1966–1967)
- Leopoldo Ruíz (1968–1973)
- Acasio Torres (1973–74)
- Gladys E. Tormes (April 15, 1974 – present)
