Cupey, San Juan, Puerto Rico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cupey
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Location of Cupey shown in yellow
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| Commonwealth |  Puerto Rico |
| Municipality |  San Juan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.57 sq mi (19.6 km2) |
| • Land | 7.50 sq mi (19.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 381 ft (116 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 32,833 |
| • Density | 4,337.3/sq mi (1,674.6/km2) |
| 2020 census | |
| ZIP Code |
00926
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Cupey is one of the 18 districts, called barrios, in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is located in the hilly part of the city. Cupey is the largest district in San Juan by land area. It is also the third most populated, with 32,833 people living there in 2020.
Cupey covers about 7.49 square miles (19.40 square kilometers). It borders the town of Caguas to the south. To the east, it borders the town of Trujillo Alto. On its west side are the San Juan districts of Caimito and Monacillo. To the north, it borders El Cinco and Sabana Llana Sur. Between 1990 and 2000, Cupey's population grew more than any other district in San Juan.
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History of Cupey
Cupey was created in 1878. It used to be a part of the old town of Río Piedras. The district was split into two smaller areas: Cupey Alto and Cupey Bajo.
The name Cupey comes from the Cupey tree. This tree is also sometimes spelled copey (Clusia rosea). It is a type of tree that grows naturally in the Caribbean. The word cupey or copey likely comes from the Taíno language, which was spoken by the native people of the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico was once owned by Spain. After the Spanish–American War in 1898, Spain gave Puerto Rico to the United States. This happened under the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Puerto Rico then became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the U.S. government counted the people in Puerto Rico. They found that 1,834 people lived in Cupey.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,834 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,109 | 15.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,562 | 21.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,928 | 14.3% | |
| 1940 | 3,413 | 16.6% | |
| 1950 | 4,125 | 20.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,701 | 62.4% | |
| 1970 | 19,301 | 188.0% | |
| 1980 | 27,739 | 43.7% | |
| 1990 | 31,072 | 12.0% | |
| 2000 | 36,659 | 18.0% | |
| 2010 | 36,058 | −1.6% | |
| 2020 | 32,833 | −8.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1980-2000 2010 2020 |
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In 1956, the government of Puerto Rico combined the town of Río Piedras with the city of San Juan. Because of this, Cupey became a part of San Juan. Today, Cupey is the largest district in San Juan by its land area.
Places to See in Cupey
Cupey is home to two important universities. The Interamerican University of Puerto Rico has its main campus here. The Metropolitan University is also located in Cupey. It is part of the Ana G. Méndez University System.
The famous TV personality and astrologer, Walter Mercado, is buried at Señorial Memorial Park in Cupey.
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Señorial Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Cupey
Geography of Cupey
Cupey district covers about 7.49 square miles (19.40 square kilometers). To the north, it is bordered by the San Juan districts of El Cinco and Sabana Llana Sur. The border with El Cinco runs along State Road PR-176.
To the south, Cupey borders the town of Caguas. This border starts where State Road PR-176 meets PR-175. To the east, it borders the town of Trujillo Alto along State Road PR-199.
On the west side, Cupey borders the San Juan districts of Caimito and Monacillo. The border with Caimito starts where State Road PR-199 meets Highway PR-52.
San Juan's only lake, Lago Las Curias, is found in Cupey. It was created in 1946 when a dam was built. The dam was made by the San Juan government to provide drinking water to the cities of Río Piedras and San Juan. Later, it was given to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. Today, the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority owns the lake. The dam is made of earth and is about 75 feet tall and 800 feet long.
Famous People from Cupey
Many well-known people have lived in Cupey, including:
- Cheo Feliciano, a famous salsa musician
- Raul Julia, an actor
- Rafael Hernández, a composer and musician
- Lolita Lebrón, a Puerto Rican nationalist leader
- Kenneth McClintock, a former Secretary of State and Senate President
- Thomas Rivera Schatz, a Senate President
- Jorge Santini, a former Mayor of San Juan
- Félix Trinidad, a world champion boxer
- Felix Trinidad Sr., a national boxing champion
- Walter Mercado, a well-known astrologer and TV personality
See also
In Spanish: Cupey para niños
