Hatillo (Puerto Rico)

Hatillo is one of the 78 municipalities that make up the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Hatillo is divided into 9 neighborhoods and Hatillo Pueblo, the administrative center and main town of the municipality. It borders to the north with the Atlantic Ocean, to the east with the municipality of Arecibo, to the south with the municipality of Utuado and to the west with the municipalities of Camuy and Lares.

History

Hatillo was founded on June 30, 1823 by Don Agustín Ruiz Miranda, with its first mayor being Don Francisco Martínez. Originally the land consisted of approximately ten acres, which were granted by Agustín Ruiz Miranda with the condition that public buildings and wide streets be built and the rest be sold or given over for houses. The land should not be dedicated to anything other than what was stipulated by Don Agustín Ruiz Miranda.

In its first year of foundation, Hatillo had 910 inhabitants, the following year it increased to 2,663 distributed in the urban area and the neighborhoods of Carrizales, Capáez, Naranjito, Corcovado, Buena Vista, (formerly Yeguada Occidental), Campo Alegre, (formerly Yeguada Oriental), Pajuil, Bayaney, Aibonito, and Barrio Pueblo. In the 1940 census, the Pajuil neighborhood disappeared, being divided between Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre. It also had two sugar estates: the “Hacienda Santa Rosa” with 150 acres and the “Hacienda Perseverancia” with 50 acres.

In 1892, the route of the railway line arrived from the San Juan terminal of the Puerto Rico Beltway Railway to the town of Hatillo, operated by the Puerto Rico Railway Company.

Hatillo, like many other towns on the Island, suffered changes in its territorial limits with the 1902 law for the Consolidation of Certain Municipal Terms of Puerto Rico, annexing it to the town of Camuy. After three years the Legislature approved the return of its lands, once again becoming a municipality. In 1910, the Pueblo (rural) neighborhood became the Hatillo (rural) neighborhood. In 1930, the Yeguadilla Occidental and Yeguadilla Oriental neighborhoods changed their names to Buena Vista and Campo Alegre, respectively. At the height of 1940, the population census reported that the Pajuil neighborhood had disappeared, distributing its lands between the Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre neighborhoods. Then in 1947 the Planning Board of Puerto Rico drew the new map of the municipality of Hatillo and its neighborhoods. As a result of this new map, the Planning Board expanded the urban area of the municipality, including part of the rural neighborhood of Hatillo, and the “Corcovados” neighborhood was renamed “Corcovado.”

Agricultural and livestock sector

The first colonizers ruled out agricultural development due to the large swampy areas of the coast. The first settlements are unknown, but it was not until the 18th century that the construction of the Hacienda Santa Rosa began on the banks of the Camuy River, dedicated to the planting of cane and grains. Later, the Hacienda Perseverando was built, also dedicated to sugar cane near the coast and the last meanderings of the Camuy River.

Upon arriving they began their arduous work on flat or partially flat coastal lands, they also used the steep hills of great fertility. Minor fruits were harvested and the sea for a time was a source of economic resources due to abundant fishing, a livelihood that has almost disappeared, contrary to the agriculture that has changed.

The planting of minor fruits changed, dominating tobacco, cotton and sugar cane, which for a long time became the main agricultural industry until the late 1950s. Cotton was eliminated in 1957 and tobacco in the 70s when it lost its drive. Only minor fruits, except commercially coffee, are scarcely produced in the central zone. Sewing also contributed something. For Hatillana women, there were sewing workshops that were an important economic relief, although they were considered to be exploitative of workers with high task demands and very low wages. The small industry was active from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Today sewing has flourished as a craft industry sponsored by the making of the costumes used in the mask festival, an activity that evolved from the so-called April Fool's Day and which is promoted by the municipal and state government.

Even with all the changes suffered over the years, Hatillo continues, as in times past, dedicated to livestock, the dairy industry and its lands dedicated, among other uses, to the production of forage for livestock. Until a few years ago, Hatillo had 125 farms that produced around 60,000,000 quarts of milk. Today the number of livestock farms has decreased due to the economic situation of the country.

General information

Geography

• Altitude: 99 meters.
• Latitude: 18o 29' 17" N
• Length: 066o 49' 32" O

Neighborhoods

• Aibonito
• Bayaney
• Good view
• Campo Alegre
• Capaez
• Carrizales
• Corcovado
• Santa Rosa
• Hatillo Barrio-Pueblo
• Naranjito
• Pajuil

Demography

Census of the year 2000.

Symbols

Flag

The flag consists of three equal stripes. The blue color represents the sea with which Hatillo borders, the yellow color represents the material and artistic wealth of the town and the green color represents the vegetation of our fields throughout its territorial extension.

Shield

The Corazón tree and the cows allusive to a herd of cattle, graphically proclaim the original name of the town: Hatillo del Corazón. The silver and blue waves represent the beaches of Hatillo. The center of the emblem of the Order of Carmen symbolizes Our Lady of Carmen, patron saint of the population, which in Puerto Rico is an important center of its marine dedication. The mural crown is a heraldic insignia representative of towns, cities and municipalities.

«To the bell, crown gold wall of three towers mamposteada de sable and adjured with siple.

In the silver field a tree of heart (reticulated annona) fruited and ripped to the natural.

In the field of siple two cows shelves, of gold, put on stick.

Facing in blue and silver waves, of eight pieces.

Escusón de la Orden del Carmen, al centro.

Under the shield on the white wheel as a motto, the inscription, Hatillo del Corazón.»

Symbolisms

• The wall crown establishes the category of village for Hatillo, a representative heraldic flag of peoples and symbolizes the union of all its citizens.
• The heart tree and the cows, allusive to a herd of cattle, are the people's flashing weapons, that is to say they graphically proclaim the original name of the Hatillo people of the Heart of Irrigation.
• The silver and blue waves represent Hatillo beach.
• To the center, the Escusón de la Orden del Carmen, symbolizes Our Lady of Carmen, patron of the population, which is in Puerto Rico an important center of this Mariana advocation.

Transport and main roads

Hatillo has a number of primary, secondary and tertiary roads that connect it with the bordering towns and with the main cities of the country such as San Juan (Puerto Rico), Aguadilla and Mayagüez. Some of the main roads are PR-22 and PR-2 that circulate in an easterly direction.

Heritage

• Parish Our Lady of Carmen
• Robinson College (now Juliet A. Casey Intermediate School)
• Hacienda Santa Rosa (Ruins)
• Former Central Bayaney
• Cave Pagan
• Cave Cathedral
• Playa Sardinera
• Punta Maracayo Camping
• Punta Maracayo Resort
• The Navy
• Paseo del Carmen
• Teatro Municipal José Antonio Monrouzeau
• Coliseum Francisco «Pancho» Deida Méndez
• Parque los ilustres
• Colonial Paseo
• Plaza del Norte (Centro Comercial)
• Casa de Playa Country Inn
• Great North Park