Hatillo, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Hatillo

Municipio de Hatillo

Sunset over La Marina in Hatillo

Flag	Coat of arms

Nicknames:

"El Pueblo sin Sopa", "Capital De La Industria Lechera"' "Hatillo Del Corazón De Riego", "Tierra de Campos Verdes", "Los Ganaderos"

Anthem: "De un mar azul en el Atlántico"

Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Hatillo Municipality

Founded

June 30, 1823

Founded by

Agustín Ruiz Miranda

Barrios

10 barrios

Aibonito
Bayaney
Buena Vista
Campo Alegre
Capáez
Carrizales
Corcovado
Hatillo
Hatillo barrio-pueblo
Naranjito

Area

• Total

58.73 sq mi (152.10 km²)

• Land

41.78 sq mi (108.22 km²)

• Water

16.94 sq mi (43.88 km²)

Population

(2020)

• Total

38,481

• Rank

25th in Puerto Rico

• Density

655.262/sq mi (252.998/km²)

Hatillanos

UTC-4 (AST)

00659

787/939

Major routes

Hatillo is a town and municipality on Puerto Rico's north coast. It sits by the Atlantic Ocean. To its south are Lares and Utuado. Camuy is to the west, and Arecibo is to the east.

Hatillo is part of the larger San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2000, it was divided into nine areas called barrios, plus the main downtown area known as Hatillo Pueblo.

Hatillo's History

How Hatillo Began

Hatillo was founded on June 30, 1823. A man named Agustín Ruiz Miranda, who came from the Canary Islands, started the town. He used about ten cuerdas of land for this. A cuerda is a old Spanish way to measure land, about the size of an acre.

Miranda gave this land with a special rule. Public buildings had to be built, and wide streets had to be made. Any land left over could be sold or used for homes.

Early Growth and Changes

In its first year, Hatillo had 910 people. By the next year, the population grew to 2,663. These people lived in the main town and in areas called barrios. Some of these barrios were Carrizales, Capáez, and Naranjito.

Over time, some barrio names changed. For example, Yeguadilla Occidental became Buena Vista. Also, one barrio named Pajuil disappeared by 1940. Its land was divided among other barrios.

Becoming Part of the U.S.

After the Spanish–American War, Spain gave Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898. This was part of the Treaty of Paris of 1898. In 1899, a census showed Hatillo had 1,148 people.

In 1902, a law tried to combine some towns. Hatillo was temporarily joined with its neighbor, Camuy. But just three years later, in 1905, Hatillo became a separate town again.

Recent Events

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico hard. Many homes and town buildings in Hatillo were damaged. The hurricane also caused many landslides in the area.

Hatillo is known for its dairy farms. These farms produce a lot of the milk for Puerto Rico. After the hurricane, milk production dropped by a lot.

Hatillo's Geography

What Hatillo Looks Like

Mogotes (limestone hills) near Hatillo

Hatillo is a town on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. It is part of the Northern Karst region. This area is known for its unique limestone hills called mogotes. Hatillo also has 9 bridges.

Neighborhoods and Areas

Map showing Hatillo's barrios

Like all towns in Puerto Rico, Hatillo is divided into areas called barrios. The main town area, with its buildings and church, is called "el pueblo".

Here are the barrios in Hatillo:

Barrios are also divided into smaller parts called sectores. These can be different types of areas, like neighborhoods or housing developments.

Special Communities

Some areas in Puerto Rico are called Comunidades Especiales. These are communities that face certain challenges. In Hatillo, some of these special communities include Altos de Fuego, Clan neighborhood, Aibonito, Naranjito, Bayaney, and Buena Vista.

Fun Things to Do

Exploring Hatillo

To help people explore Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company created a program called Voy Turistiendo. It has a passport book and a website. Hatillo has several interesting places listed in this program. These include El Gran Parque del Norte, Hatillo Novalac, and Quesos Vaca Negra.

Cool Places to Visit

Hatillo has many beautiful spots. A news article mentioned that Hatillo has 10 beaches!

Other fun places to visit in Hatillo include:

Antigua Central Bayaney
Francisco "Pancho" Deida Méndez Coliseum
Hacienda Santa Rosa Ruins
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (a church)
José Antonio Monrouzeau Theater
Juan Carmelo "Tito" Rodríguez Donate Stadium
La Marina Beach
Los Ilustres Park
Paseo del Carmen
Plaza del Norte Mall
Sardinera Beach
Trapiche de Santa Rosa
Virgen del Carmen Parish

Hatillo's Economy

A sign showing Hatillo's human and cow population in 2010

The Hatillo Cow sign

Farming and Dairy

Hatillo is very important for milk production in Puerto Rico. It produces about one-third of all the milk consumed on the island. This makes it a major center for the dairy industry.

Local Businesses

One of the big business spots in Hatillo is Plaza del Norte. This is a large shopping mall located in the Carrizales barrio.

People of Hatillo

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	10,449	—
1910	10,630	1.7%
1920	13,979	31.5%
1930	16,168	15.7%
1940	18,322	13.3%
1950	20,877	13.9%
1960	20,238	−3.1%
1970	21,913	8.3%
1980	28,958	32.1%
1990	32,703	12.9%
2000	38,925	19.0%
2010	41,953	7.8%
2020	38,481	−8.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020

The population of Hatillo has grown over the years. In 2020, about 38,481 people lived there. The people from Hatillo are called Hatillanos.

Culture and Fun Events

Festivals and Celebrations

Hatillo has many fun festivals throughout the year. In July, they celebrate their patron saint festival. This event is called the Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Señora del Carmen. It includes parades, games, local crafts, rides, food, and live music. Famous artists often perform there.

Other festivals and events in Hatillo include:

Fiestas de la Cruz - May
Festival de la Herencia Canaria (Canary Islands Heritage Festival) - May
Hatillo Music And Culinary Fest - May
Festival de la Caña de Azucar (Sugar Cane Festival) - May
Festival de la Leche Fresca (Fresh Milk Festival) - June
Hatillo es Bomba y Plena - October
Cooperative Movement Traditional festival - October
Festival de las Máscaras (Mask Festival) - December
Christmas festival - December

The Mask Festival

The Mask Festival is a very old tradition in Hatillo. It started in 1823 and came from immigrants from the Canary Islands. Long ago, men would dress as women and visit homes. The homeowners would offer them food and drinks.

Today, the festival happens every year on December 28. The masks and costumes are very detailed. They represent soldiers sent by King Herod in a Bible story. These soldiers were supposed to find and harm young boys. But in the festival, the "soldiers" are just joking around. They ride in chariots and have fun.

Hatillo's Symbols

Hatillo has its own official flag and a special design called a coat of arms.

The Flag

The flag of Hatillo has three wide stripes. They are blue, yellow, and green. The blue color stands for the sea. Yellow represents the town's wealth and art. Green shows the many green fields and plants in the area.

The Coat of Arms

The coat of arms has a gold crown with three towers on top. Below it, there's a silver background with a Custard apple tree. There are also two gold cows, which show Hatillo's dairy industry. Underneath these, there are eight blue and silver waves, representing the ocean. In the middle, there is a shield of "La Orden del Carmen". The words Hatillo Del Corazón are written below the shield.