Peñuelas, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Peñuelas

Municipio Autónomo de Peñuelas

Daniel Webster School in Peñuelas

Flag	Coat of arms

Nicknames:

"La Capital del Güiro" ("The Güiro Capital"), "El Valle de los Flamboyanes" ("The Valley of the Poinciana Trees")

Anthem: "Así es mi pueblo"

Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Peñuelas Municipality

Settled

1754

Founded

August 15, 1793

Founded by

Diego de Alvarado

Barrios

13 barrios

Barreal
Coto
Cuebas
Encarnación
Jaguas
Macaná
Peñuelas barrio-pueblo
Quebrada Ceiba
Rucio
Santo Domingo
Tallaboa Alta
Tallaboa Poniente
Tallaboa Saliente

Area

• Total

137.42 km² (53.06 sq mi)

• Land

114 km² (44 sq mi)

• Water

23.42 km² (9.04 sq mi)

Population

(2020)

• Total

20,399

• Rank

59th in Puerto Rico

• Density

148.443/km² (384.465/sq mi)

• Ethnic groups
(2000 Census)

83.3% European
4.5% African
0.3% Arawak
0.1% Asian
0.1% Native Hawaiian/PI
9.4% Some other ethnicity
2.4% Two or more ethnicities

Peñolanos

UTC−4 (AST)

00624

787/939

Major routes

Peñuelas is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico. It is located on the southern coast of the island. Peñuelas is south of Adjuntas and west of Ponce. The Caribbean Sea is to its south.

Peñuelas is known by two fun nicknames. It is called "La Capital del Güiro" (The Güiro Capital). A güiro is a musical instrument. It is also known as "El Valle de los Flamboyanes" (The Valley of the Royal Poinciana trees). These trees have beautiful, bright red-orange flowers. In 2020, about 20,399 people lived in Peñuelas.

History of Peñuelas

Early Settlement and Founding

In 1754, a group of workers settled near the Tallaboa Bay. They slowly moved inland to more fertile land. This area later became the town of Peñuelas. By 1788, about 80 families lived in the valley. They mainly focused on farming and raising animals.

The town of Peñuelas was officially founded on August 25, 1793. It was founded by Diego de Alvarado.

Growth and Changes

By 1874, Peñuelas had grown quite a bit. A census that year showed a population of 9,206 people. The town had four main roads and several streets. It also had a brick church and a town hall. The town hall was also used as a prison, barracks, and cemetery.

In 1902, a law was passed to combine some towns. Peñuelas became part of the municipality of Ponce. But in 1905, this law was changed. Peñuelas became its own municipality again.

Modern History and Hurricane Maria

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. Peñuelas was greatly affected. About 1,500 homes were completely destroyed. Another 500 homes were partly damaged. The strong winds and heavy rain caused many landslides in the northern part of Peñuelas.

Geography of Peñuelas

Peñuelas is located on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. It is slightly west of the island's center.

Rivers in Peñuelas

Several rivers flow near Peñuelas. These include:

Río Guayanés
Río Macaná
Río Tallaboa

Peñuelas Roman Catholic Church

Barrios of Peñuelas

Subdivisions of Peñuelas.

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Peñuelas is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main town area, with its municipal buildings and central square, is called "el pueblo".

Here are the 13 barrios of Peñuelas:

Within these barrios, there are even smaller communities. For example, the Santo Domingo community is in the Santo Domingo barrio. The Tallaboa community is in the Encarnación barrio.

Special Communities

Some communities in Puerto Rico are called Comunidades Especiales (Special Communities). These are areas where people might face challenges. In Peñuelas, some of these special communities include the Maldonado neighborhood (Los Chinos), Santo Domingo barrio, Comunidad Caracoles, and Comunidad La Moca in Tallaboa Alta.

Population of Peñuelas

After the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the first census of Puerto Rico was taken. It showed that Peñuelas had a population of 12,129 people.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	12,129	—
1910	11,991	−1.1%
1920	13,598	13.4%
1930	13,278	−2.4%
1940	14,789	11.4%
1950	14,931	1.0%
1960	14,887	−0.3%
1970	15,973	7.3%
1980	19,116	19.7%
1990	22,515	17.8%
2000	26,719	18.7%
2010	24,282	−9.1%
2020	20,399	−16.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020

Things to See and Do in Peñuelas

Peñuelas has 15 beaches for visitors to enjoy.

Landmarks and Places of Interest

Here are some of the main attractions in Peñuelas:

Charco La Soplaera: A natural pool of water.
El Convento Cave: A cave to explore.
Don Angel Pacheco Monument: A monument honoring a local figure.
Guilarte Forest: A beautiful forest area.
Unknown Soldier's Monument: A tribute to soldiers.
Parque de Bombas: The old firehouse, now a historical site.
La Negra Cocola: An old steam locomotive on display in the main town square.
Peñuelas Museum of Art and History: A place to learn about the town's past and art.
Cancha Carlos Rentas Gallardo: A sports court in Quebrada Ceiba.

Economy of Peñuelas

The main industries in Peñuelas are manufacturing and oil refining.

Symbols of Peñuelas

The municipality of Peñuelas has its own official flag and coat of arms.

Flag of Peñuelas

The flag has a bright yellow bottom, which represents the sun and life. In the center, there is a purple cross. This cross stands for Christianity and spiritual life. The purple cross reaches all corners of the yellow flag.

Coat of Arms of Peñuelas

The stone wall above the shield represents how long the town will last. The cross on the shield represents Santo Cristo de la Salud. This is a belief that a holy figure "stopped the sea from flooding Peñuelas." The purple arm on the shield stands for the priesthood and the town itself. The yellow color represents the sun. The blue and white colors symbolize the ocean. The regal flag shows faith in Christianity, with the motto "In God We Trust."

Culture and Events

Festivals and Events

Peñuelas celebrates its patron saint festival in late October or early November. This festival, called Fiestas Patronales de San Jose, is a religious and cultural event. It usually includes parades, games, local crafts, amusement rides, traditional food, and live entertainment.

Other fun festivals and events in Peñuelas include:

Endless Fun Festival – April
Festival of the Cross – May
National Güiro Festival – May
Festival of the Flamboyan Tree – Summer
Children's Festival – August
Folk Festival – October
The Cantatas – December

Sports in Peñuelas

Peñuelas has an AA Amateur Baseball team called Los Petroleros de Peñuelas. This name means "The Peñuelas' Oilers." It comes from a time when Peñuelas had a large oil and chemical complex called CORCO. Even though CORCO closed in 1980, the name for the baseball team stuck.

Peñuelas is also the hometown of Luis "Tite" Arroyo, a famous baseball player. Another local sports hero is Ivelisse Echevarria. She was inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003. Many consider her the best softball pitcher from Puerto Rico. Myrian "Betty" Segarra was also inducted into the International Federation Softball Hall of Fame in 2003. She is known as the best first baseman in women's softball in Puerto Rico.