Bayamón, Puerto Rico
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| Nickname: ""Pork Rind Town"" | ||||||
| Gentilic: "Bayamoneses" | ||||||
| Location | ||||||
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| Government | ||||||
| Founded | May 22, 1772 | |||||
| Mayor | Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz | |||||
| Political party | PNP | |||||
| Senatorial district | 2 - Bayamón | |||||
| Representative district | 7, 8, 9 | |||||
| Geographical characteristics | ||||||
| Area | ||||||
| Total | 115.34 km² | |||||
| Land | 114.95 km² | |||||
| Water | 0.39 km² | |||||
| Population | ||||||
| Total (2000) | 224,044 | |||||
| Density | 1,949.06 persons/km² | |||||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | |||||
| Official website: http://www.municipiodebayamon.com | ||||||
| Anthem - "Bayamón, ciudad hermosa" | ||||||
Bayamón (bah-yah-MON) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city),.
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[edit] History
Bayamón is sometimes called "El Pueblo del Chicharrón" (Pork Rind Town). Juan Ramírez de Arrellano established Bayamón as a town on May 22, 1772. It derives its name from a local Indian chief Bahamon; others claim that the name came from the Taíno word Bayamongo, which is the name of one of the rivers that cross the city.
Bayamón is one of Puerto Rico's largest cities, and is situated in what is considered to be the island's metropolitan area. It shares its metropolitan area status with San Juan, Guaynabo, Cataño, Toa Baja, Carolina and Trujillo Alto
Bayamón has always been a progressive city. Unlike Ponce, Aguadilla and Mayagüez, it does not have an airport due to its proximity to San Juan, the nation's capital.
[edit] Flag
The current flag of Bayamón, with a white field, official color of Bayamón, was embroidered by Mrs. Gloria M. León and maintains the design and colors of its Coat of Arms.
[edit] Coat of arms
This shield is symbol and synthesis of the history and the values that distinguish the city of Bayamón. The main colors of the shield are blue and silver representing the waters of the Bayamón river and recalls that it was on these banks where the first hydraulic sugar cane refinery of Puerto Rico was established in 1549. The center contains the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz), patron of the first church of the municipality and the name of the old sugar cane refinery "Santa Cruz", which was the historical origin of the town of Bayamón. The sugar cane flowers (guajanas) allude directly to the sugar cane industry that is of social and economic importance to the origin and development of Bayamón.
The five-tower crown, which is used for cities, was assigned to Bayamón as an exception for its extraordinary urban development, the magnitude of its population and for its religious dignity, which will possibly be raised to become Episcopal seat. The motto "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES" makes reference to Emperor Constantine when in the IV century had the vision in which the victory was promised to him if it accepted the Cross of Christianity as his banner.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)
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[edit] Geo/Topography
Bayamón rivers include: Bayamón, Hondo, Minillas, Bucarabones and Cuesta Arriba.
[edit] Anthem
Lyrics By: Ramón Luis Rivera
Music By: Rafi Escudero
Bayamón, ciudad hermosa
orgullosa de su ayer
al mirar hacia el futuro
ves un nuevo amanecer.
En tu gente la esperanza
son tus hijos tu primor
porque luchan sin descanso
por triunfar y darte honor.
Bayamón, mi ciudad
mi lugar es aquí
porque quiero luchar
en tu suelo hasta morir.
Bayamón, mi ciudad
orgulloso estoy de ti
de tu amor cantaré,
en un himno al porvenir.
Bayamón, mi ciudad
mi lugar es aquí
porque quiero luchar
en tu suelo hasta morir.
[edit] Economic
[edit] Agriculture
Coffee, grapefruit, sugar, tobacco and vegetables. The first hydraulic sugar mill on the island was built in Bayamón about 1548, and sugar has continued to be a valuable commodity.
[edit] Business
Manufactures have included auto parts, canned foods, clocks, clothing, machinery, precision, tin cans, tobacco products, tools, watches and zippers.
[edit] Industrial
industrial establishments; others are iron foundries, brick yards, ice plants, dairies, and an oil refinery.
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Bayamón Central Park
- Braulio CastilloTheater
- City Hall
- Francisco Oller Museum
- José Celso Barbosa Monument
- Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
- Parque De Las Ciencias
- Rubén Rodríguez Staduim
- El parque del tren, a park featuring what was until 2001 Puerto Rico's only working train, and an example of a DC-3 that used to fly for United Airlines. (This park, however, was destroyed due to major road construction which is still underway.)
- A suspension bridge believed to be one of only 3 of its kind in all of Puerto Rico
- A science-themed park known as Parque De Las Ciencias, and
- The City Hall itself.
It should be noted, that Bayamón's suspension bridge is a pedestrian bridge only. Bayamón is also one of the cities to host the Tren Urbano (Urban Transit System commuter train), inaugurated in 2004.
Rivera built a city hall that crosses over a major road. While walking through a connecting corridor, right above the road, pedestrians may see passing cars underneath. It's believed to be the only building of its class in the world.
[edit] Festivals and events
- Santa Cruz Patron Festivities - May
- José Celso Barbosa's Birthday - July
- Chicharrón Festival - July
- Artesans Festival - July
[edit] Education
Bayamón Central University was founded in 1970, and the town has a regional college of the University of Puerto Rico.
[edit] Sports
The Vaqueros de Bayamón are the city's BSN representatives and the team with the most championships in history, with 13.
The famous boxing fight between Alexis Arguello and Alfredo Escalera (their first; their equally legendary rematch was held in Rimini, Italy) was held in Bayamón in 1978.
The Puerto Rico Islanders of the United Soccer Leagues First Division play at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in [[Bayamón
[edit] Notable "Bayamoneses"
- Braulio Castillo Cintrón (1933- ) - Actor (biography)
- Daniel Santos - world boxing champion
- Francisco Manrique Cabrera
- Gonzalo Núñez
- Francisco Oller - painter
- Hector 'Macho' Camacho world boxing champion
- Isabel Gutiérrez del Arroyo
- Jesús Sánchez Erazo (1900 - 1979), commonly known as Chuito el de Bayamón - folk singer, Trovador
- Molina Brothers; Yadier Molina, Bengie Molina, and Jose Molina (All three major league baseball catchers)
- José Antonio Dávila
- Dr. José Celso Barbosa - Doctor, journalist, politician & poet
- Lucesita Benítez - Singer (biography)
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez musician
- Santiago Polanco Abreu - Legislator & Commissioned Resident in Washington
Bayamón was also the site of the infamous 1988 murder of professional wrestler Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish. His murderer, Jose Gonzales, was subsequently acquitted of all charges.
[edit] Diplomacy
Bayamón serves as the host city for foreign consular representation in Puerto Rico for the following nations:
[edit] See also
- Puerto Rico Islanders USL soccer
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Official sites
[edit] Colleges / Schools / Universities
- University of Puerto Rico in Bayamón
- Inter-American University of Puerto Rico - Bayamón Campus
- Bayamón Central University
- American University of Puerto Rico
- Caribbean University
- Universidad Central del Caribe
