- Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Hatillo (pronounced|aˈt̪iʝo) is a municipality located on
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 9 wards and Hatillo Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).History
Founded by Don Agustín Ruiz Miranda in 1823,and fellow
Canarian immigrants, Hatillo consisted of a lot of approximately ten "cuerdas" (a cuerda is less than an acre). Miranda granted these cuerdas with the condition that public buildings be erected and wide streets be built and the remaining land be sold or yielded for homes and nothing else.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 as a motto the inscription, Hatillo Del Corazón.
Barrios (Districts/Wards) [http://welcome.topuertorico.org/maps/hatillo.pdf]
*Aibonito
*Bayaney
*Buena Vista
*Campo Alegre
*Capáez
*Carrizales
*Corcovado
*Hatillo
*NaranjitoGeo/Topography
Camuy River
Anthem
Author Charlie Aguilar
Musical arrangement Papo SánchezDe un mar azul en el Atlántico
De verdes campos a todo largo
Olas plateadas jugando en blanco
Es este pueblo, pueblo afanado.Con tradiciones de gran legado
De ilustres hombres muy aclamados
Poetas libres y literarios
Que son orgullo del proletario.Máscaras típicas de Islas Canarias
Como es el Truco también traído
Y en los deportes reconocidos
Esos son frutos bien cosechados.Lolen Coballes, P.H. Hernández
Felipe y Cosme de los Aranas
Y con Don Lalo, bellos paisajes
Fueron pintados por Don Oscar.Piedra del Hombre de Pedro Pablo
La cuesta vieja; la del Guamá
Son pintorescos de su inventario
Pueblo de Hatillo, pueblo afamado.Economic
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 ashopping mall located in the barrio of Carrizales.Tourism
Hatillo, along with
Camuy and Lares are known for the Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy, a large network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways. Cueva Clara (main attraction of the park), Cueva de Empalme and a portion of the Tres Pueblos Sinkhole among other features are inside Bayaney, Hatillo. The cave system was first documented in the 1973 book Discovery At The Rio Camuy (ISBN 0-517-50594-0) by Russell and Jeanne Gurnee. The park built around the cave system features tours of some of the caves, and is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico. The caverns were created by the Río Camuy. Other attraction is the Sardinera beach.Landmarks and places of interest
*Antigua Central Bayaney
*Casa De Playa Country Inn
*Colonial Walk
*Del Carmen Walk
*Francisco Deida Méndez Stadium
*Hacienda Santa Rosa Ruins
*Hatillo Caverns
*José Antonio Monrouzeau Theater
*La Marina
*Los Ilustres Park
*Pagan Caverns
*Parish
*Plaza del Norte Mall
*Robinson Schoolhouse
*Sardinera Beach
*Trapiche de Santa RosaFestivals and events
*"Las Tradicionales" Hatillo Mask Festival
*Truco (card game) - all year
*Fiestas de la Cruz - May
*San Juan Day - June
*Matron Celebration - July; Its patron saint is Our lady of Mount Carmel. known as Virgen del Carmen. The patron saint festivities are held during the first 2 weeks of July and always includes the 16th of July in its weeks. The 16th of July is the Virgin of Carmel day, and it is celebrated with great pride and devotion still today. The day of the Virgin, La Patrona, is a very special day on our town with several all- day masses starting at 5 am with lots of penitents and favored-ones of the Patrona. Many people come every year for the High Mass at 3 pm. This mass includes the special procession and carriage of the venerated statue of the virgin through all the town center streets, and a special "trip" over to the near ocean shore by the local fishermen on their traditional boats known as "Yolas", because Our Lady Of Carmel is the Patron Saint of fishermen and it is a special devotion for our city.*Festival Típico del Cooperativismo - October
*Festival de las Máscaras - 28 December (colorful mask festival)
*Typical Festivities - December There is a Tradition each year on the 28th of December which is known as the Máscaras (Masks) of Hatillo. This Tradition dates back to1823 , when the town of Hatillo was founded. This Tradition came with settlers from the Canary Islands. The meaning of this tradition is the Holy Innocents, or Santos Inocentes: the firstmartyrs of Christian faith from Matthew's story in which small children were killed by Herod in an unsuccessful attempt to kill Jesus. It is a very special day with lots of fun and a large meeting of Mascaras: masked men and women of all ages, who wear costumes according to tradition, typically covered from head to toe, and parade through their town and nearby towns all day, making jokes and having fun, followed by a large multiple, and celebrated procession through all the town and nearby town's neighborhoods, and ending at the Hatillo town center. It is a multi-dynamic and wonderful experience for everyone in Hatillo and nearby towns. This special tradition came from the Canary Islands, the main place from Spain where the Hatillo, Camuy, and nearby town's Spanish immigrants arrived, mainly in the 1800s. Many of the native people of Hatillo, Camuy, Arecibo, and several nearby towns are proud to call themselves "Isleños", or people descendant from the Canary Island's immigrants.The transportation to the events was traditionally on horseback, with still a few still doing it today, however, in more modern events the Jeep (carefully decorated to match the riders colors and costumes) and the "Carroza" (a homemade long cart with a long crankshaft and wheel, equally decorated) are used. You can usually see groups of riders that can be a few dozen to groups of 100+ marching all around the town with there "carrozas" equipped with loud speakers, air horns, bright lights and typical music playing. They make frequent stops at homes and stores making pranks and asking for "offerings". Usually food, drinks or money. Usually around mid-day the groups of riders (Usually with names that start with "Los" [name] Ex. Los Conservadores MEANING The Conservatives) head themselves to the center of the town for a parade and an award ceremony for best outfit, best sound, best "carroza" and others.
Sadly, in recent years the event have been controversial with several riders found drunk, getting into fights, harassing people, causing heavy traffic and several other riders getting hurt or even killed (falling from the jeep or carroza after being shaken by his own members) prompting police and government agents to create heavier fines for disorderly conduct or not having his/her carroza registered as a special event vehicle. Such fines can include the impound of the vehicle and even arrest.
Notable "Hatillanos"
*
*
** Fernando Ledesma
* Dr. Francisco M. Susoni, Medicine
* Felipe Arana, Poetry
* María Edith Ortiz-Rios
* Dr. Guillermo Cuberlo
* José A. Monrouzeau
* José R. Millán
* José P.H. Hernandez, Poetry
*Juan R. García Delgado
* Luis H. Lacomba
* Lorenzo Coballes Gandía, Lawyer
* Manuel Alcaide Cordero, Mayor
* Oscar Colón Delgado, Artist
* Pablo J. Aguilar, Lawyer
* Pedro Pablo Vargas
* Ramón Millán
* Velda Gonzalez, Politician
* Father Aníbal J. Reyes Belén
* Juan R. Alcaide Burgos, Military,
* Regina Serrano, Last Midwife of the town
*Additional Information
Hatillo has the largest cooking pot in Puerto Rico. Measuring 8 feet across by 2½ feet deep. It has traveled all over the island for activities. In one occasion 2,400 lbs. of rice, ham, chicken and other ingredients were prepared. The owner is Dr. Sigfredo (Fifo) Aguilar.
References
External links
* [http://hatillo_pr.tripod.com/mascaras.htm Hatillo's, history/crest/photos, etc.]
* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=05000US72065&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_CO2&-format=CO-2 Hatillo and its barrios, United States Census Bureau]
* [http://www.puertohost.com/maps/hatillo-map.php Map of Hatillo Puerto Rico]
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