San Germán, Puerto Rico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Germán, Puerto Rico
Municipio Antónomo de San Germán
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Town and Municipality
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Porta Coeli Church is the most recognized landmark of San Germán.
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| Nicknames:
"La Ciudad de las Lomas", "Ciudad de las Golondrinas", "Ciudad Fundadora de Pueblos", "Ciudad Cuna del Baloncesto Puertorriqueño", "Ciudad Peregrina"
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| Anthem: "San Germán es mi pueblo querido" | |||
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting San Germán Municipality
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| Commonwealth |  Puerto Rico |
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| Founded | 1511 1512 (on 2nd site) |
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| Barrios | |||
| Area | |||
| • Town and Municipality | 54.51 sq mi (141.18 km2) | ||
| • Land | 54.51 sq mi (141.18 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 528 ft (161 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Town and Municipality | 31,879 | ||
| • Density | 584.83/sq mi (225.804/km2) | ||
| • Metro | 136,212 | ||
| • CSA | 251,260 | ||
| Demonym(s) | Sangermeños | ||
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) | ||
| ZIP Codes |
00683, 00636
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| Area code(s) | 787/939 | ||
| Major routes |          |
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San Germán is a historic town and municipality located in the Sabana Grande Valley of southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez and Maricao, north of Lajas, east of Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo, and west of Sabana Grande. San Germán is spread over eighteen barrios plus San Germán Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is both a principal city of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area. San Germán is the second oldest city of Puerto Rico, after San Juan, and its historic downtown is preserved as the San Germán Historic District.
The island of Puerto Rico was once split between the San Juan and the San Germán municipalities. The latter covered the western half of Puerto Rico and extended from the western shores of the island to Arecibo in the north and Ponce in the south.
Contents
History
Spanish settlement in the original city of San Germán occurred early in the conquest and colonization of Puerto Rico. After the destruction of a small early settlement near modern-day Añasco during a Taíno uprising which started in February 1511, the new settlement was built by Miguel Diaz at Guayanilla and named after Germaine of Foix, the new queen of King Fernando. This town was attacked by French corsairs in August 1528, May 1538 and 1554. The construction of a small fort began in 1540, but work stopped in 1546 when the population of the town began moving inland to the current modern location.
An early written reference to the new town occurs in 1573. A letter sent to Spain's king Philip II mentions a city with the names of Nueva Salamanca and San Germán. Spanish conquerors used the name Nueva Salamanca to honor the city of Salamanca in Spain.
On May 12, 1570, the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo (see Audiencia) ordered that both the populations of San Germán and Santa María de Guadianilla be merged into a single city due to the constant attacks. The new city was built on the hills of Santa Marta, next to the Guanajibo River in 1573. Its official name was Nueva Villa de Salamanca, named after the city of Salamanca in Spain. However, the population would call the city San Germán el Nuevo (The New San Germán) and, eventually, the Villa de San Germán (The Village of San Germán).
San Germán is also known as the founding city of towns, given the fact that in 1514 the Spanish crown separated the island into two administrative territories (Partidos). The borders of the two partidos were established as the Camuy River to the north and the Jacagua river to the south. They were named the San Juan Partition and the San Germán Partition.
Towns that came out of the San Germán Partition
- Aguada — Founded in 1508
- Ponce — Founded in 1692
- Añasco — Founded in 1733
- San Sebastián — Founded in 1752
- Yauco — Founded in 1756
- Mayagüez — Founded in 1760
- Cabo Rojo — Founded in 1771
- Rincón — Founded in 1771
- Moca — Founded in 1772
- Aguadilla — Founded in 1775
- Peñuelas — Founded in 1793
- Camuy — Founded in 1807
- Sabana Grande — Founded in 1813
- Isabela — Founded in 1819
- Quebradillas — Founded in 1823
- Lares — Founded in 1827
- Guayanilla — Founded in 1833
- Las Marías — Founded in 1871
- Maricao — Founded in 1874
- Hormigueros — Founded in 1874
- Lajas — Founded in 1883
- Guánica — Founded in 1914
Geography
Mountains: Alto del Descanso (2,520 ft; 768 m) and Tetas de Cerro Gordo (2,897 ft; 883 m).
Rivers: Río Caín, Río Duey, Río Rosario, Río Guanajibo (Estero), Río Hoconuco Guamá and Rio El Brujo
Climate
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.8 (91.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
37.2 (99.0) |
37.2 (99.0) |
36.1 (97.0) |
36.7 (98.1) |
36.1 (97.0) |
36.7 (98.1) |
36.7 (98.1) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
32.0 (89.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) |
23.9 (75.0) |
24.4 (75.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
26.7 (80.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
25.8 (78.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
17.8 (64.0) |
18.9 (66.0) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.6 (69.1) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
19.4 (67.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
10.6 (51.1) |
10.0 (50.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.4 (57.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
13.3 (55.9) |
11.7 (53.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
6.7 (44.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 63.8 (2.51) |
55.6 (2.19) |
55.6 (2.19) |
87.1 (3.43) |
130.6 (5.14) |
68.6 (2.70) |
79.5 (3.13) |
132.8 (5.23) |
157.5 (6.20) |
185.2 (7.29) |
145.0 (5.71) |
59.2 (2.33) |
1,220.5 (48.05) |
| Source: The Weather Channel, | |||||||||||||
Cityscape
Barrios
- Ancones
- Caín Alto
- Caín Bajo
- Cotuí
- Duey Alto
- Duey Bajo
- Guamá
- Hoconuco Alto
- Hoconuco Bajo
- Maresúa
- Minillas
- Rosario Alto
- Rosario Bajo
- Rosario Peñón
- Sabana Eneas
- Sabana Grande Abajo
- San Germán Pueblo
- Tuna
- Retiro
Due to its large size, Minillas is usually subdivided into Minillas Valle, Minillas Carretera and Minillas Parcelas.
Tourism
San Germán is the site of the Porta Coeli church, one of the earliest Spanish cathedrals built in Latin America. Porta Coeli is still a major attraction that brings both domestic and international tourists every year.
Landmarks and places of interest
- Puente de Bolas (Bridge of Balls)
- Casa Morales
- Ceiba de la Libertad
- Historic Gallery
- Lola Rodríguez de Tió Museum
- Casa Cruz de la Luna
- Ramírez de Arrellano y Rossell Museum
- Santo Domingo Plazuela
- Three Races and One Culture Mural
- San Germán Historic District
- Porta Coeli
- Inter-American University of Puerto Rico
- Church San Germán de Auxerre
- La Barrica, Original Spanish Tavern. Circa 1847
The urban center of San Germán is mainly composed of Spanish colonial houses. Many have been restored and conserve their Spanish look while other houses are somewhat abandoned and in poor condition. There are ongoing projects employing public and private funding to preserve and restore many houses and monuments and to maintain San Germán's colonial era look.
Culture
Festivals and events
- Patron Celebrations (St. Germain d'Auxerre and Santa Rosa de Lima) - July
- Festival de la Pana - July
- Anón Festival - September
- Christmas Festival - December
- Christmas Parade - Early December
- Patron Celebrations (The Virgin of the Rosary) — Celebrated in San Germán's Ward, Rosario Poblado, which borders Mayagüez.
Sports
San Germán is home to one of Puerto Rico's oldest basketball franchises, dating back to the 1930s, the San Germán Athletics (los Atléticos de San Germán), nicknamed "The Orange Monster". Many glories of Puerto Rican basketball have played in San Germán, a city that is also known as "The Crib of Puerto Rican Basketball". Some of those players are Arquelio Torres, José "Piculín" Ortiz, Eddie Casiano, Nelson Quiñones, Elías "Larry" Ayuso, Christian Dalmau, and so many others. Their home court is The Arquelio Torres Ramírez Court, which houses approximately 5,000 fans.
The Athletic's fan base is most commonly referred to as their sixth man, or "The Orange Monster". This is because for a visiting team it's extremely hard to win in San Germán due to how vigorous and "into" the game the fans are.
The Athletics have been to 26 National Superior Basketball (BSN) Finals, of which one was cancelled (1953) due to confiscation because of a fight between players from San Germán and the Ponce Lions, giving birth to Puerto Rican basketball's most intense rivalry.
Championships (14): 1932, 1936, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1997 Sub-Championships (11): 1931, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1986
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 20,246 | — | |
| 1910 | 22,143 | 9.4% | |
| 1920 | 23,848 | 7.7% | |
| 1930 | 23,768 | −0.3% | |
| 1940 | 26,473 | 11.4% | |
| 1950 | 29,553 | 11.6% | |
| 1960 | 27,667 | −6.4% | |
| 1970 | 27,990 | 1.2% | |
| 1980 | 32,922 | 17.6% | |
| 1990 | 34,962 | 6.2% | |
| 2000 | 37,105 | 6.1% | |
| 2010 | 35,527 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 31,879 | −10.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020 |
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| Racial - (self-defined) San Germán, Puerto Rico - 2010 Census |
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| Race | Population | % of Total |
| White | 29,614 | 83.4% |
| Black/African American | 1,989 | 5.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native |
129 | 0.4% |
| Asian | 41 | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander |
5 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 2,992 | 8.4% |
| Two or more races | 727 | 2.1% |
Symbols
Flag
Green - The Episcopal dignity and also the color of the Shield of Christopher Columbus and his son, don Diego Colón, Viceroy of the Indies, who named the city in honor of Germana de Foix.
White - The purity of the blood of the great families who colonized San Germán.
Purple - Color of the Shield of Juan Ponce de León, first governor of Puerto Rico.
Coat of Arms
First Quarter: The Mitre and the Staff in a green field represent St. Germain of Auxerre, the Patron Saint of the city.
Second Quarter: The second quarter exhibits the arms of the Kingdoms of Aragón and Sicily, where don Fernando the Catholic reigned.
Third Quarter: In this quarter the arms combine with the County of Foix and the Kingdom of France, which constitute the family shields of Germaine de Foix whose name is perpetuated as the name of the city of San Germán.
Fourth Quarter: Is Ponce de León's shield, The Crown: Is a civic or municipal standard and is used as a stamp for towns and cities; San Germán was assigned five towers to denote that this population formally obtained the title of city from the Spanish crown in the nineteenth century.
Notable Puerto Ricans from San Germán
- PFC Joseph R. (José) Martínez destroyed a German infantry unit and tank in Tunisia, during World War II, by providing heavy artillery fire, saving his platoon from being attacked in the process. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, by General George S. Patton, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican recipient of said military decoration.
- Ubaldino Ramírez de Arellano—Senator
- Lola Rodríguez de Tió—poet, author of the original lyrics of Puerto Rico's national anthem, La Borinqueña, and pro-independence advocate
- Benjamín Marcantoni - opera singer
- Benicio del Toro—Award-winning actor
- Francisco Mariano Quiñones—Abolitionist and politician
- Samuel R. Quiñones—Longest-serving President of the Puerto Rico Senate, serving for twenty years.
Economy
Agriculture
The area around San Germán grows fruits (banana, pineapple) and sugarcane on mid-scale. Dairy farms are also present in small scale. Some locals grow other produce on a small scale.
Business
Most businesses are located in or near the downtown area (San Germán Pueblo). Plaza del Oeste is the main shopping center.
Industry
Major employers of the city include Fresenius Kabi, CCL, Wallace International, Baxter Serum Mfg., Cordis, Insertco (print shop for medical instructions inserts), Wallace Silversmiths de Puerto Rico, General Electric (production of circuit breakers) and several other companies in the service industry.
Motion pictures filmed In San Germán
- Act of Valor (2012) Which follows a Navy Seal squad on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA Agent Morales (Roselyn Sánchez).
- Dinero Sangre (1986) In a banana republic a ruthless mercenary waits to make a killing in gold. Only two people stand in his way (Guy Ecker)
Education
The following schools are in San Germán:
- Bartolome de Las Casas: PK-6
- Georgina Alvarado: PK-5
- Henry W. Longfellow: PK-5
- Herminia C. Ramirez: PK-5
- Julio Victor Guzman: KG-8
- Laura Mercado: 6-12
- Lola Rodriguez de Tio: 9-10
- Mariano Abril: PK-6
- (Second Unit) Francisco Maria Quinones: KG-8
The main campus of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico is located adjacent to the downtown area of San Germán. It was founded in 1912 as the Polytechnical Institute of Puerto Rico, the first private university on the island. The Colegio San José, was a private school which was established in San Germán in 1930 and closed in 2017.
Transportation
By the 16th century there was a rough road called Camino de Puerto Rico (Camino Real) connecting San Germán (which was located near the mouth of the Añasco River) to other areas of Puerto Rico, including San Sebastián, Arecibo, Toa Alta, and Caparra.
In 2019, there were 44 bridges in San Germán.
Images for kids
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One of the oldest churches in Puerto Rico.
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Subdivisions of San Germán.
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Park in San Germán
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San Germán
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Street in San Germán
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Pharmacy Museum
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Residential building in San Germán
See also
In Spanish: San Germán (Puerto Rico) para niños
