San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico

San Lorenzo
Municipio Autónomo de San Lorenzo
Town and Municipality
Hills and valley in San Lorenzo
Hills and valley in San Lorenzo
Flag of San Lorenzo
Flag
Coat of arms of San Lorenzo
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
"Pueblo de Los Samaritanos", ("Town of Samaritans"), "La Tierra de Leyendas", ("Land of Legends")
Anthem: "Son tus campos de bellísimo verdor"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting San Lorenzo Municipality
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting San Lorenzo Municipality
Coordinates: 18°11′24″N 65°58′7″W / 18.19000°N 65.96861°W / 18.19000; -65.96861
Sovereign state United States
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Settled1811
FoundedSeptember 18, 1894
Founded byValeriano Muñoz de Oneca
Named forSaint Lawrence
Barrios
11 barrios
Government
 • MayorJaime Alverio Ramos (PNP)
 • Senatorial dist.7 - Humacao
 • Representative dist.33
Area
 • Total
53.3 sq mi (138.07 km2)
 • Land53.3 sq mi (138 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.07 km2)  0%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
37,693
 • Rank27th in Puerto Rico
 • Density710/sq mi (270/km2)
DemonymSanlorenceños
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code
00754
Area code787/939
Major routes

San Lorenzo (Spanish pronunciation: [san loˈɾenso], locally [ˌsaŋ loˈɾeŋso]; Spanish for "Saint Lawrence") is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the eastern central region, north of Patillas and Yabucoa; south of Gurabo; east of Caguas and Cayey; and west of Juncos and Las Piedras. San Lorenzo is spread over twelve barrios and San Lorenzo Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

San Lorenzo is called "The town of the Samaritans" and "Land of Legends." The patron of the municipality is Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (Our Lady of Mercedes). The surrounding areas produce tobacco and sugar cane.

History

According to Cayetano Coll y Toste, a Puerto Rican historian, San Lorenzo was founded in 1811.[2]

Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in San Lorenzo with the significant amount of rainfall.[3][4]

  • South Atlantic Division (SAD) USACE in San Lorenzo
    South Atlantic Division (SAD) USACE in San Lorenzo
  • USACE working to restore power in San Lorenzo, 7 months after Hurricane Maria
    USACE working to restore power in San Lorenzo, 7 months after Hurricane Maria
  • USACE restoring power to San Lorenzo in April, 2018
    USACE restoring power to San Lorenzo in April, 2018

Geography

Subdivisions of San Lorenzo.

San Lorenzo is located in the eastern central region, north of Patillas and Yabucoa; south of Gurabo; east of Caguas and Cayey; and west of Juncos and Las Piedras.[2]

The town is located on a high valley that is formed by the Río Grande de Loíza which flows northwestwards towards the Caguas Valley. The town is located on the San Lorenzo Batholith, which is a mountainous region composed of intrusive igneous rock. It is bordered by the Sierra de Luquillo to the north and by the Sierra de Cayey to the south.

Rivers

Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, San Lorenzo is subdivided into barrios and barrios are further divided into sectors. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as "el pueblo".[5][6][7][8]

  1. Cayaguas
  2. Cerro Gordo
  3. Espino
  4. Florida
  5. Hato
  6. Jagual
  7. Quebrada
  8. Quebrada Arenas
  9. Quebrada Honda
  10. Quemados
  11. San Lorenzo barrio-pueblo[9]

Sectors

Further information: List of barrios and sectors of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico

Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions)[9] 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.[10][11][12]

Special Communities

Main article: Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development

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 San Lorenzo: Roosevelt neighborhood, El Bosque, La Marina, Parcelas Jagual (Nuevas y Viejas), Parcelas Quemados and Sector Los Oquendo.[13] Between 2013 and until their arrest by the FBI in 2019, dozens of drug traffickers were operating in the Roosevelt neighborhood and near the Lorenzana public housing residential units in San Lorenzo.[14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
190013,433—
191014,2786.3%
192018,13627.0%
193023,47929.5%
194026,62713.4%
195029,2489.8%
196027,950−4.4%
197027,755−0.7%
198032,42816.8%
199035,1638.4%
200040,99716.6%
201041,0580.1%
202037,693−8.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1899 (shown as 1900)[16] 1910-1930[17]
1930-1950[18] 1960-2000[19] 2010[7] 2020[20]

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

Economy

Agriculture

The economy of San Lorenzo was founded on livestock farming and later included the cultivation of sugar cane, which had been processed on steam-driven farms with oxen. Coffee and fruits are also now cultivated in the municipality. Timber production, which was once very prolific, has declined due to the uncontrolled exploitation of forests.

Industry

Clothing, pharmaceuticals, footwear, electromechanical equipment, industrial and household paints.

Culture

Festivals and events

San Lorenzo celebrates its patron saint festival in September. The Fiestas Patronales Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.[2]

Other festivals and events celebrated in San Lorenzo include:

  • Three Kings Caroling-January
  • Cavalcade Moncho Roldán-January
  • Candelaria Celebrations-February
  • Kite Festival-March
  • Cross Celebrations-May
  • Embroidering and Weave Festival-September
  • Passion Fruit Festival-November

Sports

  • Double-A (baseball) team Los Samaritanos[26] - National Champions in 1975, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002[27]
  • Agustin Reyes Half Marathon

Government

Main article: Mayoralty in Puerto Rico

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, San Lorenzo is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is Jaime Alverio Ramos, from the New Progressive Party (PNP). Alverio was first elected at the 2020 general election.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district VII, which is represented by two Senators. In 2024, Wanda Soto Tolentino and Luis Daniel Colón La Santa were elected as District Senators.[28]

Transportation

There are 49 bridges in San Lorenzo.[29]

Symbols

The municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.[30]

Flag

The flag of San Lorenzo is divided in four rectangles of equal size, two rectangles are yellow and the other two are striped with red and yellow stripes.[31]

Coat of arms

The grill is the traditional symbol of San Lorenzo, deacon and martyr, patron of the town, because in a grill he underwent the martyrdom, slowly burned to death. The hill or mountain represent the Gregorio Hill, which dominates the San Lorenzo panorama. The cross is one of the heraldic attributes of San Miguel Arcángel.[31]

Notable people

  • Chayanne - Singer and actor
  • Ernestina Reyes “La Calandria” - Singer
  • José Tous Soto - Former Speaker House Of Representatives
  • Antonio Fernós-Isern - Former Resident Commissioner
  • José Aponte Hernandéz - Former Speaker House Of Representatives
  • Carmita Jiménez - Singer
  • Priscila Flores - Singer
  • El Invader #1- Puerto Rican wrestler
  • Dr. Marc H. Rosa, - Former Teacher, School Administrator And University Professor
  • Josúe "Jay" Fonseca - Political Commentator
  • Edwin Cruz - Lead Singer - “Mechi”
  • Antulio Parrilla Bonilla - Father of Puerto Rican Cooperative Movement, Jesuit priest.
  • Victor Rivera - Wrestler

See also

References

  1. ^ "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "San Lorenzo Municipality". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  3. ^ "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico". USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  4. ^ "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico" (PDF). USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  5. ^ Picó, Rafael; Buitrago de Santiago, Zayda; Berrios, Hector H. (1969). Nueva geografía de Puerto Rico: física, económica, y social, por Rafael Picó. Con la colaboración de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Héctor H. Berrios. San Juan Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico,1969. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  6. ^ Gwillim Law (May 20, 2015). Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998. McFarland. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-4766-0447-3. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  8. ^ "Map of San Lorenzo at the Wayback Machine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  9. ^ a b "US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition". factfinder.com. US Census. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget)". Puerto Rico Budgets (in Spanish). Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  11. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza: Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (first ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  12. ^ "Leyes del 2001". Lex Juris Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza:Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (Primera edición ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, p. 273, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  14. ^ "26 Individuals Charged With Drug Trafficking In Puerto Rico Project Safe Neighborhoods Enforcement Effort". fbi.gov. Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Puerto Rico. May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  16. ^ "Report of the Census of Porto Rico 1899". War Department Office Director Census of Porto Rico. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  17. ^ "Table 3-Population of Municipalities: 1930 1920 and 1910" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  18. ^ "Table 4-Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural: 1930 to 1950" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  19. ^ "Table 2 Population and Housing Units: 1960 to 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  20. ^ "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  21. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  22. ^ "Bienvenido a la Web Page del Santuario Diocesano Virgen del Carmen ( Montaña Santa )". www.santuariopr.org. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  23. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. ^ "Hacienda Muñoz". Discover Puerto Rico. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  26. ^ "El Béisbol Recuerda A Héctor Ferrer". Isla News PR (in Spanish). November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  27. ^ "Samaritans of San Lorenzo History". ballcharts.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  28. ^ Elecciones Generales 2024: Escrutinio General Archived 2024-12-30 at elecciones2024.ceepur.org (Error: unknown archive URL) on CEEPUR
  29. ^ "San Lorenzo Bridges". National Bridge Inventory Data. US Dept. of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  30. ^ "Ley Núm. 70 de 2006 -Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho (78) municipios". LexJuris de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  31. ^ a b "SAN LORENZO". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). February 19, 2020. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.