Guayanilla, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guayanilla Municipio Autónomo de Guayanilla
Town and Municipality
Guayanilla Bay
Flag Coat of arms
Nicknames:  "Tierra de Agüeybaná", "Los Corre en Yegua", "Capital Taina"
Anthem: "Guayanillenses, cantemos unidos"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Guayanilla Municipality
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Founded	February 27, 1833
Barrios	17 barrios Barrero Boca Cedro Consejo Guayanilla barrio-pueblo Indios Jagua Pasto Jaguas Llano Macaná Magas Pasto Playa Quebrada Honda Quebradas Rufina Sierra Baja
Area
• Total	42.4 sq mi (109.9 km2)
Elevation	161 ft (49 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,784
• Density	419.11/sq mi (161.82/km2)
Demonym(s)	Guayanillenses
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code	00656
Area code(s)	787/939
Major routes
GNIS feature ID	1610861

Guayanilla is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Adjuntas, east of Yauco; and west of Peñuelas and about 12 miles (19 km) west of Ponce. Guayanilla is spread over 16 barrios and Guayanilla Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Guayanilla was founded by Puerto Rican criollos. The original name was Guadianilla in memory of a river of the same name in Spain. However, it was changed to Guayanilla to resemble a native word in the Taíno dialect. The name Guayanilla is derived from a combination of Guaynia and Santa Maria de Guadianilla.

The first Europeans settled in this area in 1511. In 1756, Yauco was founded as a town. Then Guayanilla was a borough of Yauco. Due to the very fertile lands and access to the local port where most of the local commerce occurred, Guayanilla became an important agricultural center, grew quickly, and was established as a separate municipality on February 27, 1833 by Governor Miguel de la Torre.

Roanoke Colonists

On April 27, 1584, Raleigh dispatched an expedition led by Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to explore the Eastern coast of North America. They arrived on Roanoke Island on July 4, and soon established relations with the local natives, the Secotans and Croatoans. Barlowe returned to England with two Croatans named Manteo and Wanchese, who were able to describe the politics and geography of the area to Raleigh. Based on this information, Raleigh organized a second expedition, to be led by Sir Richard Grenville.

Grenville's fleet departed Plymouth on April 9, 1585, with five main ships: the Tiger (Grenville's), the Roebuck, the Red Lion, the Elizabeth, and the Dorothy. Unfortunately, a severe storm off the coast of Portugal separated the Tiger from the rest of the fleet. The captains had a contingency plan if they were separated, which was to meet up again in Puerto Rico, and the Tiger arrived in the "Baye of Muskito" (Guayanilla Bay) on May 11.

A watercolor of the fort in Guyanailla Bay, which is likely similar to the fort constructed on Roanoke

While waiting for the other ships, Grenville established relations with the Spanish there while simultaneously engaging in some privateering against them, and also built a fort. The Elizabeth arrived soon after the fort's construction. Eventually, Grenville tired of waiting for the remaining ships, and departed on June 7. The fort was abandoned, and its location remains unknown.

Geography

Guayanilla Bay

The coastline forms the Guayanilla Bay, one of the best natural harbors in Puerto Rico, to the south, also. The nearest city is Ponce, which is 12 miles (19 km) to the east. The northern regions are bordered by mountains that reach 3,300 feet (1,000 m). In the central regions, the terrain descends where it does not exceed 1,410 feet (430 m). Finally in the coastal plain, the elevations do not exceed 951 feet (290 m). The Yauco, Guayanilla, and Macaná rivers all run through the municipality. The Yauco River briefly runs through the Boca borough, where its exit into the Caribbean Sea and accompanying marshlands are located.

Cityscape

Barrios

Guayanilla is divided into the following barrios (wards/districts), population of each listed in parentheses:

• Total: 23,072

Tourism

Church in the Guayanilla town plaza.

• Places to visit: Mario Mercado Castle, Chorro de Oro Waterfall, Cuevas (Caves) del Convento, Guilarte Forest, Emajagua Beach, La Ventana Beach, Tamarindo Beach, Central Rufina Ruins.
• Festivals: Student Festival (May), Beach Festival (May), Cross Festivities (May), Fishing Festival (June), Virgen del Carmen Festival (June), Seafood Festival (June), Town Carnival (July), Ladies Marathon (November), Immaculate Conception Festivities (December)

Demographics

According to the Census in 2000, 99.2% Hispanic of any race. 65.5% white, 11.1% black, 19.3% mixed, 5.1% other. There were 7,209 households, out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 15.2% live alone, and 7.1% live alone and were over 65 years of age. The average household size was 3.19, and the average family size was 3.55.

The age distribution of the population was 30.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% over 65. The median age was 31 years.

The median income for a household was $11,361, and the median income for a family was $13,187. The per capita income for the city was $5,954. 57.0% of the population and 54.9% of the families were below the poverty line.

Symbols

The Nazario Collection, a set of inscribed stones discovered by Catholic priest and amateur archeologist José M. Nazario (and which popular culture links to taíno high chief Agüeybaná II), has become a cultural symbol for the municipality. The statuettes serve as the center piece of Guayanilla's Father Nazario Museum of Lithic Epigraphy.

Economy

Industry

The main industries in Guayanilla are the manufacturing of petrochemicals and the production of electricity by thermoelectrical plants. Guayanilla produces over half of Puerto Rico's electricity. The breakdown of occupations are as follows:

Education

The following schools are located in Guayanilla and students from both schools have participated in the Rose Parade in California on several occasions:

• Escuela Arístides Cales Quirós
• Asunción Rodríguez de Sala

Transportation

There are 35 bridges in Guayanilla.

Images for kids

• 

  "Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. One of the houses in the company village for sugar cane workers" (1941 photograph by Jack Delano)

• 

  This Guayanilla landmark called Ventana was destroyed by the earthquakes.

• 

  Subdivisions of Guayanilla

• 

  Castillo de niños

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  Eatery with piragua (shave ice) flavors menu in Guayanilla

• 

  The Punta Ventana window feature collapsed during the 2019 earthquakes.

• 

  View of mountains in the countryside of Guayanilla

• 

  Guayanilla City Hall

• 

  Guayanilla school band performing at a parade in California, US in 2012

• 

  Photo by NOAA, Exploring Puerto Rico's Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs (Guayanilla)

See also

In Spanish: Guayanilla para niños