Quebradillas, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quebradillas Municipio de Quebradillas
Town and Municipality
Quebradillas Beach
Flag Coat of arms
Nicknames:  "La Guarida del Pirata", "La Ciudad del Cooperativismo"
Anthem: "De lejos canto, porque anhela el corazón"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Quebradillas Municipality
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Founded	June 6, 1823
Barrios	8 barrios Cacao Charcas Cocos Guajataca Quebradillas barrio-pueblo San Antonio San José Terranova
Area
• Total	27.7 sq mi (58.8 km2)
• Land	23.2 sq mi (60 km2)
• Water	4.5 sq mi (11.66 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,638
• Density	853.4/sq mi (402.0/km2)
Demonym(s)	Quebradillanos
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code	00678
Area code(s)	787/939
Major routes

Quebradillas is a town and municipality of the island of Puerto Rico located in the north-western shore bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of San Sebastián; east of Isabela; and west of Camuy. Quebradillas is spread over seven barrios and Quebradillas Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Quebradillas is called "La Guardia del Pirata" (The Pirate's Hideout). A well-known beach in the area, Puerto Hermina, is home to an old structure known to have been a hiding place for pirates and their contraband.

History

The town was founded in 1823 by Felipe Ruiz. This town derives its name from the large amount of streams flowing through it. The name literally means "small streams".

Cityscape

Barrios

Geography

Quebradillas is home to one of the 20 designated forest preserves in Puerto Rico, the Guajataca Forest. The forest serves as a great example of an unusual topography known as karst country. Karst is characterized by dissolved limestone formations such as sinkholes and haystack-shaped hills known as "mogotes". It is also home to the beautiful man-made reservoir, Guajataca Lake (2.5 mi or 4.0 km long), where you can fish for largemouth bass, peacock bass, tilapia and bluegill (in Spanish known as "chopa"). You can also go hiking or camping. The Boy Scouts of America maintain a campground on the lake known as Camp Guajataca. The name Guajataca comes from the name of a Taíno Indian chief who lived in this area. This Indian chief also gives his name to Guajataca Beach to the north where Río Guajataca flowing from Guajataca Lake meets the Atlantic Ocean. Guajataca Beach is popular with surfers and is known for its white sands and wild waters. This beach is ideal for sunning and collecting seashells.

Climate

The general climate of the town is subtropical.

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

• El Merendero (Scenic Park and Ocean Look-Out)
• Guajataca Lake Reservoir (Inland)
• La Cabeza del Indio (Indian Head at Puerto Hermina Beach)
• The Old Liberty Theater (Downtown)
• El Museo de Muñecas (Doll Museum)[houses over 1,000 Barbie dolls] - in Barrios Cocos
• Noah's Arc (closed)- in Barrio cocos
• Puerto Hermina Beach Pirate Ruins
• El Puente Blanco (Old White Train Bridge)
• Casa Rafols-Iribas, site of Casa de la Cultura Cacique Mabodamaca (non-profit organization dedicated to preserve the culture, the arts and the historical sites of the town of Quebradillas)
• ' Los Chorritos Pirata'' kids aquatic park
• Mini golf course (under construction)
• Mosaic of nature
• Miradero Guajataca
• Race kart course (proposed)

Culture

Festivals and Events

• Three Kings Wake - January
• Guajataka Downhill Races & Music Fest - January
• Kite Festival - February
• Guajataca Carnival - February
• Patron Celebrations - October
• Competition and Festival of the Güiro "Goyo el de Bironcho" - December

Sports

The towns official basketball team is "Los Piratas'' these have won a dramatic amount of tournaments in the past.Presently the team has made a "come back" and has won the championship of the island (2013).

"The pirates"basketball team

• Basketball teams
• Surfing - Guajataca Beach and Puerto Hermina (Pirates Cove)
• Skateboarding - San Jose Skatepark
• Baseball - Los Cocos Park
• Longboarding

Symbols

Flag

It has two red quarters. The red stands for struggle, effort and sacrifice. The other two quarters have each five green and white stripes, similar to those that appear in the shield.

Coat of Arms

The three waved stripes represent the quebradillas, over the green background of the vegetation. The fish and the walking stick (distinctive of the traveler), are insignias of San Rafael Arcángel, by allusion from the episodes narrated in the book of Tobías in the Old Testament.

Economy

Business

A small shopping center called Quebradillas Plaza is located in this municipality.

An event which negatively affected the region in the decade of the 1990s was the disappearance of tax exemptions to the private corporations Section 936 of the code of the US Internal Revenue Service , which at the time was the resulted in the closure of one of the greater manufacturers of textiles in the northwest area of the island. This decline of the industry of the needle occurred similarly in the bordering cities like Isabela and Camuy, generating a regional economic decline as the locals greatly depended on these jobs. In nearby towns like Hatillo, Mayagüez and Aguadilla, the arrival of mega stores and new shopping centers attracted the jobs that used to be in Quebradillas.

The island lacks mass public transportation, people must resort to private cars. The only road to access the important cities, the Puerto Rico Highway 2 suffers from congestion. The town possesses one tunnel that at the beginning of the 20th century was used by steam driven trains that traveled throughout the Island. This absence aggravates the problem of mass transit and the dependence on privately owned vehicles as these are the only method of transportation.

The economy, entering into the 21st century, is based on retail sales. Many small businesses are located along the two main thoroughfares that cross Quebradillas. These consist mainly of light hardware, bakeries, pharmacies, seafood restaurants, American fast food chains and automobile car repair shops.

The town has bank branches for Banco Popular and local savings and credit Unions. These credit unions are most noted for their involvement in common and cultural activities, sponsoring and participating in festivals of typical music such as "Festival of the Gourd in December", sports and educational activities.

Demographics

Education

The town features various public and private schools. There is also a public electronic library near Los Chorritos Pirata water park. In 2021 the municipal government opened a child daycare center. Some schools have been remodeled as a result of a government initiative to have "21st century" schools.

Schools

• Manuel Ramos Hernandez
• Juan Alejo de Arizmendi
• Eugenio Maria De Hostos
• Luis Muñoz Rivera
• Honorio Hernandez
• Pedro Albizu Campos
• Ramon E. Betances
• Ramon Avila Molinari
• Ramon Saavedra
• Jose De Diego

Private schools:

• Colegio San Rafael
• Soles del Jardín
• Pequeños Aprendiendo

Transportation

There are 4 bridges in Quebradillas.

Images for kids

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  The coastline and Guajataca Tunnel at Guajataca Beach

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  Subdivisions of Quebradillas.

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  Welcome sign for El Arca de Noé (Noah's Ark), a former private zoo in Quebradillas

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  Puerto Hermina beach

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  El Indio de Puerto Herminia in Quebradillas