San Germán, Puerto Rico

San Germán (Spanish pronunciation: [saŋ xeɾˈman]) is a municipality located in the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez and Maricao, north of Lajas, east of Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo, and west of Sabana Grande. San Germán is spread over eighteen barrios plus San Germán Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is both a principal city of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area. San Germán is the second oldest city of Puerto Rico, after San Juan.[2] The island of Puerto Rico was once split between the San Juan and the San Germán municipalities. The latter covered the western half of Puerto Rico, and extended from the western shores of the island to Arecibo in the north and Ponce in the south.

"San Germán" redirects here. For the Cuban town, see Urbano Noris.
San Germán, Puerto Rico

Municipio Autónomo de San Germán
City and Municipality
Porta Coeli Church is the most recognized landmark of San Germán.
Flag
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
"La Ciudad de las Lomas", "Ciudad de las Golondrinas", "Ciudad Fundadora de Pueblos", "Ciudad Cuna del Baloncesto Puertorriqueño", "Ciudad Peregrina"
Anthem: "San Germán es mi pueblo querido"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting San Germán Municipality
Coordinates: 18°N 67°W
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Founded1511
1512 (on 2nd site)
Barrios
Government
 • MayorVirgilio Olivera Olivera (NPP)
 • Senatorial dist.Mayagüez
 • Representative dist.20
Area
 • City and Municipality54.51 sq mi (141.18 km2)
 • Land54.51 sq mi (141.18 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation
528 ft (161 m)
Population
 (2010[1])
 • City and Municipality35,527
 • Density650/sq mi (250/km2)
 • Metro
136,212
 • CSA
251,260
Demonym(s)Sangermeños
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Codes
00683, 00636
Area code(s)787/939
Major routes

History
Oldest church in Puerto Rico

The population of San Germán when Alonso Manso was named the first bishop of Puerto Rico in 1511 was "about 50 neighbors".[3]

Spanish settlement in San Germán occurred early in the conquest and colonization of Puerto Rico. After the destruction of a small early settlement near modern-day Añasco during a Taíno uprising which started in February 1511, in 1512[4] the new settlement was built by Miguel Diaz at Guayanilla[5] and named after Germaine of Foix, the new queen of King Fernando.[6][7] This town was attacked by French corsairs in August 1528, May 1538 and 1554. The construction of a small fort began in 1540, but work stopped in 1546 when the population of the town began moving inland to the current modern location.

An early written reference to the new town occurs in 1573. A letter sent to Spain's king Philip II mentions a city with the names of Nueva Salamanca and San Germán. Spanish conquerors used the name Nueva Salamanca to honor the city of Salamanca in Spain.

On May 12, 1571, the Royal Audience (Real Audiencia) of Santo Domingo authorized that both the populations of San Germán and Santa María de Guadianilla be merged into a single city due to the constant French attacks.[8] The new city was built on the hills of Santa Marta, next to the Guanajibo River in 1573. Its official name was Nueva Villa de Salamanca, named after the city of Salamanca in Spain. However, the population called the city San Germán el Nuevo (The New San Germán) and, eventually, the Villa de San Germán (The Village of San Germán).

San Germán is also known as the founding city of towns, given the fact that in 1514 the Spanish crown separated the island into two administrative territories (Partidos). The borders of the two partidos were established as the Camuy River to the north and the Jacagua river to the south. They were named the San Juan Partition and the San Germán Partition.

Geography

San Germán is in the southwest. Mountains in San Germán include Alto del Descanso (2,520 ft; 768 m) and Tetas de Cerro Gordo (2,897 ft; 883 m). San Germán has a number of rivers: Río Caín, Río Duey, Río Rosario, Río Guanajibo (Estero), Río Hoconuco Guamá and Rio El Brujo.[9]

Hurricane Maria

Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in San Germán with the significant amount of rainfall.[10][11]

Barrios
Subdivisions of San Germán.

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, San Germán is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as "el pueblo".[12][13]

  1. Ancones
  2. Caín Alto
  3. Caín Bajo
  4. Cotuí
  5. Duey Alto
  6. Duey Bajo
  7. Guamá
  8. Hoconuco Alto
  9. Hoconuco Bajo
  10. Maresúa
  11. Minillas
  12. Retiro
  13. Rosario Alto
  14. Rosario Bajo
  15. Rosario Peñón
  16. Sabana Eneas
  17. Sabana Grande Abajo
  18. San Germán barrio-pueblo[14]
  19. Tuna

Sectors

Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions)[14] and subbarrios,[15] in turn, are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.[16][17][18]

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 Germán: Ancones, Comunidad El Retiro, Comunidad Las Quebradas, La Tea, Parcelas Las Carolinas, Parcelas Minillas en Barrio Minillas, Parcelas Sabana Eneas, and Rosario Peñón.[19]

Climate
Climate data for San Germán, Puerto Rico (1898-2013)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 91.0
(32.8)		 91.9
(33.3)		 95
(35)		 95
(35)		 95
(35)		 99.0
(37.2)		 99.0
(37.2)		 97.0
(36.1)		 98.1
(36.7)		 97.0
(36.1)		 98.1
(36.7)		 98.1
(36.7)		 99.0
(37.2)
Average high °F (°C) 87.1
(30.6)		 87.1
(30.6)		 88.0
(31.1)		 89.1
(31.7)		 90.0
(32.2)		 91.0
(32.8)		 91.9
(33.3)		 91.9
(33.3)		 91.0
(32.8)		 90.0
(32.2)		 89.1
(31.7)		 88.0
(31.1)		 89.5
(32.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 75.0
(23.9)		 75.0
(23.9)		 75.9
(24.4)		 78.1
(25.6)		 80.1
(26.7)		 81.0
(27.2)		 81.0
(27.2)		 81.0
(27.2)		 81.0
(27.2)		 80.1
(26.7)		 78.1
(25.6)		 75.9
(24.4)		 78.5
(25.8)
Average low °F (°C) 62.1
(16.7)		 62.1
(16.7)		 64.0
(17.8)		 66.0
(18.9)		 69.1
(20.6)		 71.1
(21.7)		 70.0
(21.1)		 70.0
(21.1)		 70.0
(21.1)		 69.1
(20.6)		 66.9
(19.4)		 63.0
(17.2)		 67.0
(19.4)
Record low °F (°C) 44.1
(6.7)		 51.1
(10.6)		 50.0
(10.0)		 50.0
(10.0)		 55.9
(13.3)		 57.9
(14.4)		 53.1
(11.7)		 57.9
(14.4)		 60.1
(15.6)		 55.9
(13.3)		 53.1
(11.7)		 48.9
(9.4)		 44.1
(6.7)
Average rainfall inches (mm) 2.51
(63.8)		 2.19
(55.6)		 2.19
(55.6)		 3.43
(87.1)		 5.14
(130.6)		 2.70
(68.6)		 3.13
(79.5)		 5.23
(132.8)		 6.20
(157.5)		 7.29
(185.2)		 5.71
(145.0)		 2.33
(59.2)		 48.05
(1,220.5)
Source: The Weather Channel[20]

Tourism

San Germán is the site of the Porta Coeli church, one of the earliest Spanish churches built in Latin America. Porta Coeli is still a major attraction that brings both domestic and international tourists every year.

Landmarks and places of interest
Plaza Santo Domingo, located in the San Germán Historic District
Plaza Francisco Mariano Quiñones and the Church San Germán de Auxerre

The urban center of San Germán is mainly composed of Spanish colonial houses. Many have been restored and conserve their Spanish look while other houses are somewhat abandoned and in poor condition. There are ongoing projects employing public and private funding to preserve and restore many houses and monuments and to maintain San Germán's colonial era look.

Culture

Festivals and events

San Germán celebrates its patron saint festival in late July / early August. The Fiestas Patronales de San German Euserre is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.[21][9]

Other festivals and events celebrated in San Germán include:

  • Festival de la Pana - July
  • Anón Festival - September
  • Christmas Festival - December
  • Christmas Parade - Early December
  • Patron Celebrations (The Virgin of the Rosary)—Celebrated in San Germán's Rosario Poblado, which borders Mayagüez.

Sports

San Germán is home to one of Puerto Rico's oldest basketball franchises, dating back to the 1930s, the San Germán Athletics (los Atléticos de San Germán), nicknamed "The Orange Monster". Many glories of Puerto Rican basketball have played in San Germán, a city that is also known as "The Crib of Puerto Rican Basketball". Some of those players are Arquelio Torres, José "Piculín" Ortiz, Eddie Casiano, Nelson Quiñones, Elías "Larry" Ayuso, Christian Dalmau, and so many others. Their home court is The Arquelio Torres Ramírez Court, which houses approximately 5,000 fans.

The Athletic's fan base is most commonly referred to as their sixth man, or "The Orange Monster". This is because for a visiting team it's extremely hard to win in San Germán due to how vigorous and "into" the game the fans are.

The Athletics have been to 26 National Superior Basketball (BSN) Finals, of which one was cancelled (1953) due to confiscation because of a fight between players from San Germán and the Ponce Lions, giving birth to Puerto Rican basketball's most intense rivalry.

Championships (14): 1932, 1936, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1997 Sub-Championships (11): 1931, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1986

Economy

Agriculture

The area around San Germán grows fruits (banana, pineapple) and sugar cane on mid-scale. Dairy farms are also present in small scale. Some locals grow other produce on a small scale.

Business

Most businesses are located in or near the "downtown" area (San Germán Pueblo). Plaza del Oeste is the main shopping center.

Industry

Major employers of the city include Fresenius Kabi, CCL, Wallace International Baxter Serum Mfg., Cordis, Insertco (print shop for medical instructions inserts), Wallace Silversmiths de Puerto Rico, General Electric (production of circuit breakers) and several other companies in the service industry.

Motion pictures filmed In San Germán
  • Act of Valor (2012) Which follows a Navy Seal squad on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA Agent Morales (Roselyn Sánchez).
  • Dinero Sangre (1986) In a banana republic a ruthless mercenary waits to make a killing in gold. Only two people stand in his way (Guy Ecker)

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
190020,246—
191022,1439.4%
192023,8487.7%
193023,768−0.3%
194026,47311.4%
195029,55311.6%
196027,667−6.4%
197027,9901.2%
198032,92217.6%
199034,9626.2%
200037,1056.1%
201035,527−4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[22]
1899 (shown as 1900)[23] 1910-1930[24]
1930-1950[25] 1960-2000[26] 2010[13]
Racial distribution
Racial - (self-defined) San Germán, Puerto Rico
- 2010 Census[27]
Race Population % of Total
White29,61483.4%
Black/African American1,9895.6%
American Indian and
Alaska Native		1290.4%
Asian410.1%
Native Hawaiian
Pacific Islander		50.0%
Some other race2,9928.4%
Two or more races7272.1%

Government
The new City Hall on Luna Street was built in 1989.
Main article: Mayoralty in Puerto Rico

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, San Germán is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is Virgilio Olivera Olivera from the New Progressive Party. Olivera was elected in the 2020 general election.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, María Teresa González and Gilberto Rodríguez were elected as District Senators.[28]

Transportation

There are 44 bridges in San Germán.[29]

Symbols

Flag

Green - The Episcopal dignity and also the color of the Shield of Christopher Columbus and his son, don Diego Colón, Viceroy of the Indies, who named the city in honor of Germana de Foix.[30]

White - The purity of the blood of the great families who colonized San Germán, according to a history book by Fray Íñigo Abbad y Lasierra, a Spanish Benedictine monk.[30]

Purple - Color of the Shield of Juan Ponce de León, first governor of Puerto Rico.[30]

Coat of arms

First Quarter: The Mitre and the Staff in a green field represent St. Germain of Auxerre, the Patron Saint of the city.[30]

Second Quarter: The second quarter exhibits the arms of the Kingdoms of Aragón and Sicily, where don Fernando the Catholic reigned.[30]

Third Quarter: In this quarter the arms combine with the County of Foix and the Kingdom of France, which constitute the family shields of Germaine de Foix whose name is perpetuated as the name of the city of San Germán.[30]

Fourth Quarter: Is Ponce de León's shield.

The Crown: Is a civic or municipal standard and is used as a stamp for towns and cities; San Germán was assigned five towers to denote that this population formally obtained the title of city from the Spanish crown in the nineteenth century.[30]

Education

The following schools are in San Germán:[31]

  1. Bartolome de Las Casas: PK-6
  2. Georgina Alvarado: PK-5
  3. Henry W. Longfellow: PK-5
  4. Herminia C. Ramirez: PK-5
  5. Julio Victor Guzman: KG-8
  6. Laura Mercado: 6-12
  7. Lola Rodriguez de Tio: 9-10
  8. Mariano Abril: PK-6
  9. (Second Unit) Francisco Maria Quinones: KG-8

The main campus of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico is located adjacent to the downtown area of San Germán. It was founded in 1912 as the Polytechnical Institute of Puerto Rico, the first private university on the island. The Colegio San José, was a private school which was established in San Germán in 1930 and closed in 2017.

Notable Puerto Ricans from San Germán
  • Street in San Germán
  • San Germán
  • Pharmacy Museum
  • Residential building in San Germán

See also

References
  1. Bureau, U. S. Census. "American FactFinder - Results". Fact Finder on US Census Gov. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  2. "Página Oficial de Municipio Autónomo de San Germán, Puerto Rico". Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  3. Historia general y natural de las Indias, islas y tierra-firme del mar oceano (in Spanish). 23 October 1851. p. 466. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019 – via Internet Archive.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2020-05-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Fuson, Robert (2000). Juan Ponce De Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida. Blacksburg, Virginia: McDonald & Woodward. p. 79. ISBN 0-939923-82-3.
  6. Thomas, Hugh (2003). Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 231. ISBN 0-297-64563-3.
  7. Floyd, Troy (1973). The Columbus Dynasty in the Caribbean, 1492-1526. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. p. 139.
  8. "Revista/review Interamericana (San German, Puerto Rico)" (in Spanish). VII. Inter American University Press. 1 January 1957: 640. Archived from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2019. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. "San Germán Municipality". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  10. "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico". USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived from the original on 2019-03-03. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  11. "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico" (PDF). USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-03-03. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  12. Gwillim Law (20 May 2015). Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998. McFarland. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-4766-0447-3. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  13. 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 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  14. "US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition". Fact Finder. US Census. Archived from the original on 13 May 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  15. "P.L. 94-171 VTD/SLD Reference Map (2010 Census): San Germán Municipio, PR" (PDF). www2.census.gov. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  16. "Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget)". Puerto Rico Budgets (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  17. 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
  18. "Leyes del 2001". Lex Juris Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  19. 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
  20. Archived 2014-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, The Weather Channel accessed 8 January 2014.
  21. "Puerto Rico Festivales, Eventos y Actividades en Puerto Rico". Puerto Rico Hoteles y Paradores (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-02-26. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  22. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  23. "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.
  24. "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.
  25. "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.
  26. "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.
  27. Bureau, U. S. Census. "American FactFinder - Results". Fact Finder. Archived from the original on 2015-11-20. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  28. Elecciones Generales 2012: Escrutinio General Archived 2013-01-15 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR
  29. "San Germán Bridges". National Bridge Inventory Data. US Dept. of Transportation. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  30. "SAN GERMAN". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). 23 February 2007. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  31. "Search For Schools and Colleges". National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  32. "Log In ‹ Home of Heroes—WordPress". Home of Heroes. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
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