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Hatillo

Municipio de Hatillo
Sunset over La Marina in Hatillo
Sunset over La Marina in Hatillo
Flag of Hatillo
Flag
Coat of arms of Hatillo
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
"El Pueblo sin Sopa", "Capital De La Industria Lechera"' "Hatillo Del Corazón De Riego", "Tierra de Campos Verdes", "Los Ganaderos"
Anthem: "De un mar azul en el Atlántico"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Hatillo Municipality
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Hatillo Municipality
Sovereign state  United States
Commonwealth  Puerto Rico
Founded June 30, 1823
Barrios
Area
 • Total 58.73 sq mi (152.10 km2)
 • Land 41.78 sq mi (108.22 km2)
 • Water 16.94 sq mi (43.88 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 38,481
 • Rank 25th in Puerto Rico
 • Density 655.262/sq mi (252.998/km2)
Demonym(s) Hatillanos
Time zone UTC-4 (AST)
ZIP Code
00659
Area code(s) 787/939
Major routes PR primary 2.svg PR secondary 129.svg Ellipse sign 119.svg Ellipse sign 130.svg Ellipse sign 134.svg
Toll plate yellow.svg
PR primary 22.svg

Hatillo (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈtiʎo]) is a town and municipality located in Puerto Rico's north coast, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Lares and Utuado to the south, Camuy to the west, and Arecibo to the east. According to the 2000 US Census Hatillo is spread over nine barrios and Hatillo Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Agustín Ruiz Miranda, a Canarian immigrant, founded Hatillo on approximately ten cuerdas (a cuerda is 0.97 acre, also called a Spanish acre) in 1823. Miranda granted this land on the condition that public buildings be erected and wide streets be built, and that the remaining land be sold or used for homes.

In its first year, Hatillo had 910 people; increasing to 2,663 inhabitants the following year distributed among the central town and the barrios of Carrizales, Capáez, Naranjito, Corcovado, Buena Vista (formerly Yeguada Occidental), Campo Alegre (formerly Yeguada Oriental), Pajuil, Bayaney, Aibonito, and the Pueblo. Barrio Pajuil had disappeared by the 1940 census being divided up between Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre barrios. There were also two sugarcane plantations named "Hacienda Santa Rosa" measuring 150 cuerdas and "Hacienda Perseverancia" at 50 cuerdas.

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Hatillo was 1,148.

Hatillo, like several other municipalities on the island, experienced boundary changes from the 1902 municipality consolidation law (Consolidación de Ciertos Términos Municipales de Puerto Rico) in which Hatillo was annexed temporarily into neighboring Camuy. Three years later the territorial legislature approved the reformation of Hatillo as a separate municipality (independent town) from Camuy in 1905. In 1910, Barrio Pueblo (rural) changed its name to Hatillo barrio (rural). In 1930, Yeguadilla Occidental and Yeguadilla Oriental barrios' names were changed to Buena Vista and Campo Alegre, respectively. As mentioned before, Pajuil barrio disappeared by the 1940 census being divided up between barrios Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre. In 1947 the Planning Commission of Puerto Rico issued a new map of Hatillo municipality and its barrios. As a result of this new map, the central town was expanded to include part of Hatillo barrio (rural) and the name of "Corcovados" was changed to "Corcovado".

On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico. In Hatillo, residences and municipal buildings sustained damage. The 75 dairy farms which produce much of the milk consumed in Puerto Rico were greatly affected. Ranchers said milk production would decrease by up to 45% in 2017. The hurricane triggered numerous landslides in Hatillo.

Geography

Verde que te quiero verde... Hatillo, Puerto Rico - panoramio
Mogotes on border of Hatillo and Sector Hess in Esperanza, Arecibo

Hatillo is a coastal town on the northern side of Puerto Rico, on the Northern Karst region. There are 9 bridges in Hatillo.

Barrios

Hatillo, Puerto Rico locator map
Subdivisions of Hatillo

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Hatillo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo".

Sectors

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions) and subbarrios, are further subdivided into smaller areas called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.

Special Communities

Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Hatillo: Altos de Fuego, Clan neighborhood, Aibonito, Naranjito, Bayaney, and Buena Vista.

Tourism

To stimulate local tourism, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the Voy Turistiendo ("I'm Touring") campaign, with a passport book and website. The Hatillo page lists El Gran Parque del Norte, Hatillo Novalac, and Quesos Vaca Negra, as places of interest.

Landmarks and places of interest

According to a news article by Primera Hora, there are 10 beaches in Hatillo. Other places of interest in Hatillo include:

  • Antigua Central Bayaney
  • Francisco "Pancho" Deida Méndez Coliseum
  • Hacienda Santa Rosa Ruins
  • Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen
  • José Antonio Monrouzeau Theater
  • Juan Carmelo "Tito" Rodríguez Donate Stadium
  • La Marina Beach
  • Los Ilustres Park
  • Paseo del Carmen
  • Plaza del Norte Mall
  • Sardinera Beach
  • Trapiche de Santa Rosa
  • Virgen del Carmen Parish
Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen
Palmar en la Playa Sardinera - Hatillo, Puerto Rico - panoramio
Playa Sardinera
Playa La Marina de Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Playa La Marina in Hatillo
Paseo del Carmen, Hatillo, Puerto Rico 02
Paseo del Carmen
Food court at Plaza del Norte in Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Plaza del Norte Mall

Economy

Hatillo, Puerto Rico human and cow population in 2010 sign
Hatillo, Puerto Rico human and cow population in 2010 sign
Hatillo cow, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Sign of The Hatillo Cow

Agriculture

Today, Hatillo is the major producer of milk on the island and produces a third of the milk consumed in Puerto Rico.

Business

Plaza del Norte is a shopping mall located in the barrio of Carrizales.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 10,449
1910 10,630 1.7%
1920 13,979 31.5%
1930 16,168 15.7%
1940 18,322 13.3%
1950 20,877 13.9%
1960 20,238 −3.1%
1970 21,913 8.3%
1980 28,958 32.1%
1990 32,703 12.9%
2000 38,925 19.0%
2010 41,953 7.8%
2020 38,481 −8.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930
1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020

Culture

Festivals and events

Hatillo celebrates its patron saint festival in July. The Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment. The festival has featured live performances by well-known artists such as Sonora Ponceña, Andy Montañez, Pedro Capó, Sie7e and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

Other festivals and events celebrated in Hatillo include:

  • Fiestas de la Cruz - May
  • Festival de la Herencia Canaria - May
  • Hatillo Music And Culinary Fest - May
  • Festival de la Caña de Azucar- May
  • Festival de la Leche Fresca - June
  • Hatillo es Bomba y Plena - October
  • Cooperative Movement Traditional festival- October
  • Festival de las Máscaras (Mask Festival)- December
  • Christmas festival - December

The Mask Festival began in 1823, and was imported by the immigrants from the Canary Islands, where the traditional festival originated. The early tradition of the festival required that the male population dress as women and they would visit each residence where the owners would offer them food and drinks. Currently the festival is celebrated every year on December 28. The Masks are fashioned and based on the biblical story of King Herod (Herod the Great). The costumes used are very elaborate and the Masks represent the soldiers which were sent by the King Herod to kill all boys age three and younger, after hearing about a new king being born as told by the Three Wise Men. The festival, however is presented in humor and said soldiers only joke around and ride on chariots.

Symbols

The municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.

Flag

The flag consists of three broad stripes - Blue, Yellow and Green. Blue represents the sea, yellow represents the material and artistic wealth of the town, and green represents the vegetation of its fields in all its territorial extension.

Coat of arms

On top of the shield is a gold crown with three towers over a silver field a Custard apple tree (Annona reticulata) and a field with two cows in gold which is over eight blue and silver-plated waves. At the center is a shield of "La Orden del Carmen". Under the shield the motto is inscribed, Hatillo Del Corazón.

Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hatillo (Puerto Rico) para niños

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