Santa Rita, Guam

Santa Rita (Chamorro: Sånta Rita) is a village located on the southwest coast of the United States territory of Guam with hills overlooking Apra Harbor. According to the 2000 census it has a population of 7,500, down from 11,857 in 1990.[2] Santa Rita is the newest village in Guam, having been established after the Second World War.

Santa Rita
Sånta Rita

Sumay (formerly)
Village
Flag
Location of Santa Rita within the Territory of Guam.
CountryUnited States
TerritoryGuam
Government
 • MayorDale Alvarez (D)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total6,084
Time zoneUTC+10 (ChST)

History
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
196012,126—
19708,109−33.1%
19809,18313.2%
199011,85729.1%
20007,500−36.7%
20106,084−18.9%

As the rest of the island, Santa Rita was under Spanish rule. Prior to the War, the village of Sumay occupied the Orote Peninsula, which forms the southern boundary of Apra Harbor. Once a thriving commercial center, it suffered severe devastation from bombardment by the United States military forces during the Liberation of Guam from the Empire of Japan. The U.S. military assumed control over the ruins of Sumay and built Naval Station, while the residents of Sumay were relocated to the hills between their former village and Fena.

They established a new village, naming the settlement after Saint Rita of Cascia. Today, the Fena area, which houses Naval Magazine and Fena Lake (the main source of fresh water for the island), borders the eastern boundary of the village of Santa Rita.

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau counts it under multiple census-designated places: Santa Rita,[3] and Apra Harbor.[4]

Education
Commander William C. McCool School

The Department of Education serves the public schools in Santa Rita.

Santa Rita Village contains Harry S. Truman Elementary School, Southern High School, and PACE (Program of Alternative Certification for Educators), which was once Santa Rita Elementary School. H.S. Truman Elementary serves Santa Rita residents, while Southern High School serves Santa Rita, Agat and villages allocated by DoE districting. PACE serves students in need throughout the DoE program.[5] Oceanview Middle School in Agat serves middle school residents.[6]

In addition, Commander William C. McCool Elementary/Middle School (Originally Guam South Elementary/Middle School), operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity, is located on-base at Naval Station area of Santa Rita.[7][8]

Notable residents

Mayor of Santa Rita

Commissioners (Sumay)
  • Joaquin C. Diego (1927–1930)
  • Vicente T. Borja (1930–1931)
  • Tomas P. Sablan (1931–1935)
  • Gregorio S. Borja (1935–1937)
  • Vicente D. Lizama (1937–1939)
  • Juan P. Sarmiento (1939–1941)

Commissioner (Santa Rita)
  • Juan N. Perez (1945–1952)
  • Joaquin D. Perez (1952–1969)
  • Pedro L.G. Roberto (1969-1973)

Mayor (Santa Rita)
  • Juan N. Perez (1973–1985)
  • Pedro L.G. Roberto (1985–1989)
  • Gregorio M. Borja (1989–1997)
  • Joseph C. Wesley (1997–2009)
  • Dale E. Alvarez (2009–present)

See also
  1. "2010 Guam Statistical Yearbook" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-23. (4.3 MB), (rev. 2011)
  2. U.S. Department of Commerce, "2000 Census of Population and Housing-Guam", May 2004, https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/island/GUAMprofile.pdf
  3. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Santa Rita CDP, GU" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-10-09. - See "Santa Rita muny"
  4. "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Apra Harbor CDP, GU" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-10-09. - pages 1 and 2 See "Santa Rita muny"
  5. "Guam's Public High Schools." Guam Public School System. Accessed September 8, 2008.
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20060222192437/http://www.lk4kids.com/school+links.htm
  7. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=12381
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-09-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  • Rogers, Robert F (1995). Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-1678-1

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