Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Santa Isabel
Municipio Autónomo de Santa Isabel
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Town and Municipality
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Skyline of Jauca 2 barrio in Santa Isabel
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| Nicknames:
Tierra de Campeones,
La Ciudad de los Potros Capital de la Agricultura |
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| Anthem: "En un pedazo del sur estás presente" | |||
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Santa Isabel Municipality
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| Sovereign state |  United States |
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| Commonwealth |  Puerto Rico |
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| Settled | 1801 | ||
| Founded | October 5, 1842 | ||
| Founded by | Don Juan de la Cruz, and Antonio Vélez | ||
| Named for | Saint Isabelle of France | ||
| Barrios | |||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 34.3 sq mi (88.9 km2) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,281 | ||
| • Rank | 60th in Puerto Rico | ||
| • Density | 590.9/sq mi (228.13/km2) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Santaisabelinos | ||
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) | ||
| ZIP Code |
00757
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| Area code(s) | 787/939 | ||
| Major routes |       |
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Santa Isabel is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico. It is located on the southern coast of the island. Santa Isabel is south of Coamo, east of Juana Díaz, and west of Salinas.
The town is divided into 7 areas called barrios, plus the downtown area known as Santa Isabel Pueblo. It is an important city in the Santa Isabel Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Santa Isabel is known by a few nicknames. It is called The Capital of Agriculture because of its farming. It's also known as La Ciudad de los Potros, which means "City of Colts". This name comes from the many horse farms in the area where racehorses are raised.
Contents
History of Santa Isabel
Before Santa Isabel was officially founded, this area was a border between two important Taíno regions: Guaynia and Guayama. When the Spanish came to Borinquen, this land became very important for the town of Coamo. Coamo was one of the first towns built in the south of the island.
Many farms, called estancias, were set up here. They grew small crops like rice, corn, beans, and root vegetables for local use. For example, the area where the old Central Cortada sugar plant is now was once a farm called Estancia Descalabrado. A Catalan settler named Juan de Quintana owned it in 1737.
The municipality of Santa Isabel was officially started on October 5, 1842. Antonio Vélez led a group of people who wanted to be separate from Coamo, which Santa Isabel was part of before.
After the Spanish–American War, Spain gave Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898. In 1899, the first count of people in Puerto Rico showed that Santa Isabel had 4,858 residents.
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. In Santa Isabel, nearly 500 people needed to be rescued. The strong winds and heavy rain destroyed farms. About 12,000 homes were either completely or partly damaged.
Geography of Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel is located on the southern coast of Puerto Rico.
- The Aguirre State Forest is nearby, which includes the Punta Petrona Nature Reserve.
- Rivers in the area include Cayures, Coamo, Descalabrado, and Jueyes.
Barrios of Santa Isabel
Like all towns in Puerto Rico, Santa Isabel is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main town buildings, central square, and a large Catholic church are in the barrio known as "el pueblo".
Here are the barrios of Santa Isabel:
Sectors in Barrios
Barrios are further divided into even smaller areas called sectores (which means sectors in English). These sectors can have different names like urbanización or barriada.
Special Communities
Some communities in Puerto Rico are called Comunidades Especiales (Special Communities). These are areas where people might face challenges. In 2014, some of these special communities in Santa Isabel included Playita Cortada, Sector Islote, Sector Canta Sapo, Sector Descalabrado, Sector El Río, Sector Florida, Sector la Pica, Sector Villa Pote, and Sector Villa Pulga (Villa del Mar).
Population of Santa Isabel
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 4,858 | — | |
| 1910 | 6,959 | 43.2% | |
| 1920 | 7,257 | 4.3% | |
| 1930 | 8,886 | 22.4% | |
| 1940 | 11,468 | 29.1% | |
| 1950 | 13,478 | 17.5% | |
| 1960 | 14,542 | 7.9% | |
| 1970 | 16,056 | 10.4% | |
| 1980 | 19,854 | 23.7% | |
| 1990 | 19,318 | −2.7% | |
| 2000 | 21,665 | 12.1% | |
| 2010 | 23,274 | 7.4% | |
| 2020 | 20,281 | −12.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, Santa Isabel had a population of 20,281 people. This was a small decrease from the 2010 count, which was 23,274 residents. Most people in Santa Isabel are of Hispanic or Latino background.
Things to See and Do in Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel has 29 beaches. There are many fun places to visit in the town.
Some of the main attractions are:
- El Malecón (a boardwalk by the sea)
- Indian Museum
- Jauca Beach
- Hacienda Alomar Ruins
- Central Cortada (an old sugarcane factory)
Santa Isabel also has three places listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States:
- Dr. Martin G. Brumbaugh Graded School
- Iglesia Evangélica Unida de Santa Isabel (a church)
- Las Tres Haciendas irrigation system
Economy of Santa Isabel
Agriculture in Santa Isabel
The areas around Santa Isabel are good for farming. They grow fruits and vegetables like mangoes, guineo (a type of banana), and avocados. A Puerto Rican company called Campo Fresco has a factory in Santa Isabel. They make Jugos Lotus juice and other drinks there.
Industries in Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel has industries that make things like aerospace parts, electrical and electronic items, metal products, and nutritional products.
Culture and Events
Festivals and Events
Santa Isabel celebrates its patron saint festival in July. This festival is called Fiestas Patronales de Santiago Apostol. It is a religious and cultural celebration. It usually has parades, games, local crafts, fun rides, regional food, and live music.
Other festivals and events in Santa Isabel include:
- Agroferia Santa Isabel - held in April
- Carnaval de Baloncesto Barrio Ollas - held in July
- City Foundation Anniversary - celebrated in October
- Encendido Navideño Barriada Felicia, Calle Elifaz Ostolaza - a Christmas lighting event in November
Schools in Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel has several schools for different age groups.
Elementary Schools
- Escuela Martín G. Brumbaugh
- Escuela John F. Kennedy
- Escuela Esther Rivera
- Escuela Ana L. Rosa Tricoche
- Escuela Apolonia Valentín
- Escuela Ana Valldejuly
- Escuela Emilio Casas
Middle School
- Escuela Manuel Martín Monserrate
High School
- Escuela Elvira M. Colón
Other Schools
- Escuela S.U. Pedro Meléndez (Playita Cortada)
Private Education
- Colegio Evangélico Fuente De Sabiduría (Kindergarten to 6th grade)
- Colegio LOGOS
Sports in Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel is known as Tierra de Campeones, which means "Land of Champions". This is because of its strong tradition in sports, especially Baseball.
The town is home to the Santa Isabel Potros baseball team. The Potros won the 1992 National Championship of the Federación de Béisbol Aficionado de Puerto Rico. Their home games are played at Estadio Municipal Luis Guillermo Moreno.
Other sports activities include:
- Class A Baseball Teams (Wild Passages of Paso Seco, Marlins de Felicia, and Jueueros de Jauca)
- Double A Baseball Team (Ponies of Santa Isabel)
- Basketball Carnival (Ollas neighborhood) - in July
- Interbarrio Children's Basketball League - from August to November
- Double A Youth Baseball Team (Potritos U19)
- Soccer Teams (Santa Isabel Soccer Club)
- Collegiate Volleyball (UAGM Santa Isabel)
Transportation
Santa Isabel has 12 bridges.
Symbols of Santa Isabel
The municipality has an official flag and a coat of arms.
Flag
The flag of Santa Isabel has three horizontal stripes. The top stripe is white, the middle is yellow, and the bottom is red. It can also be decorated with sugarcane stems.
Coat of Arms
The crown on the coat of arms represents Saint-Queen Elizabeth of Hungary. She is the patroness of the Third Order of Saint Francis. The shells are a symbol of St. James, who is the patron saint of the town. They also represent the many shells found on the beaches near Santa Isabel.
Famous People from Santa Isabel
- Adolfo L. Monserrate Anselmi - a former member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives
- Benito Santiago - a baseball player who won the 1986 National League Rookie of the Year Award with the San Diego Padres.
- Melwin Cedeño - an actor, comedian, kids' host, and singer.
- Carlos Colón Sr. - a professional wrestler known as El Acróbata de Puerto Rico. He is a co-owner of the World Wrestling Council (WWC). He was also a WWE wrestler and was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2014.
- Carlos Correa - a baseball player who was the first overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He won the 2015 American League Rookie Of The Year award. He plays shortstop for the Minnesota Twins and won an MLB World Series championship with the Houston Astros in 2017.
- José Guzmán - a former professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers.
Images for kids
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Irrigation method in Santa Isabel
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View of Caribbean Sea from Santa Isabel
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Cattle in Jauca.
See also
In Spanish: Santa Isabel (Puerto Rico) para niños
