Residencia Ermelindo Salazar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Residencia Ermelindo Salazar |
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Residencia Ermelindo Salazar, in Barrio Tercero, Ponce, Puerto Rico
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Ponce Creole |
| Town or city | 70 Cristina Street, Ponce |
| Country | Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°00′43.092″N 66°36′45.3234″W / 18.01197000°N 66.612589833°W |
| Completed | 1870 |
| Client | Ermelindo Salazar |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Juan Bertoli Calderoni |
| Engineer | Juan Bertoli Calderoni |
The Residencia Ermelindo Salazar (Ermelindo Salazar Home) is a special old house in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It was built way back in 1870. This house was once the home of Ermelindo Salazar, who was an important person in the city. He was a successful businessman and even served as the mayor of Ponce in 1880.
You can find this historic house at 70 Cristina Street, right in the Ponce Historic Zone. Today, the house is home to the Centro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira. This is a cultural center for the city of Ponce. It's a busy place where people enjoy educational and cultural events, and where artists show their amazing work.
A Look Inside History
This beautiful building has a long and interesting past. In the 1980s, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture bought the house. They used it as the very first home for the Museum of Puerto Rican Music. Imagine, a whole museum dedicated to music!
Since 1992, the house has been the main spot for the Centro Cultural de Ponce. This center works hard to help art grow in Ponce. They have cool events like Noches de Galería (Gallery Nights). During these nights, artists, sculptors, and craftspeople show off their talents and amazing creations.
Building Design and Features
The Residencia Ermelindo Salazar was designed in 1870 by an architect named Juan Bertoli Calderoni. He was from Corsica, an island in Europe. The house mixes different styles, including Colonial Spanish and Ponce Creole architecture. It has a lovely courtyard surrounded by a gallery, which is like a covered walkway.
This house was first built for Ermelindo Salazar. He was a very important person in Ponce. He owned land, ran businesses, and even worked as a banker. He also served as the mayor of Ponce in 1880.
In 1959, the house became the first location for the Museo de Arte de Ponce (Ponce Art Museum). The art museum moved to a new, bigger building in 1965. Then, in 1990, the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture) fixed up the house. They made it the first home for the Museo de la Música Puertorriqueña (Museum of Puerto Rican Music).
The First Private Phone Line
Here's a cool fact about the house: it was the very first house in Ponce to have its own private telephone line! This special phone line connected the Salazar family's home directly to their business offices at the Port of Ponce. This happened 17 years before telephone service became available to everyone else in the city. Imagine having a phone when no one else did!
See also
- Centro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira
