Las Piedras, Puerto Rico

Infobox Settlement

settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States

subdivision_type1 = Territory
subdivision_name1 = Puerto Rico
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =

timezone=AST
utc_offset=-4
timezone_DST=
utc_offset_DST=
unit_pref=Imperial
map_caption =Location of PAGENAME within Puerto Rico.
latNS=N
longEW=W| official_name = Las Piedras, Puerto Rico | nickname = Ciudad Artesanal", "Los Come Guábaras


image_

population_blank1 = Pedreños|population_blank1_title=Gentilic| or Pedrences |

population_blank1 = Pedreños|population_blank1_title=Gentilic| or Pedrences |

---

| map_caption = Location within the island of Puerto Rico

established_date = 1773 | leader_title|established_title=Founded| = Mayor | leader_title=Mayor
leader_name = Hon. Itzamar Peña
political party = Partido Nuevo Progresista
leader_party = PNP
leader_title1=Senatorial dist.
leader_name1= 7 - Humacao
leader_title2=Representative dist.
leader_name2 = 35| area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 86.0
area_land_km2 = 86| area_water_km2 = 0| population_as_of = 2000 | population_note =
population_total = 12421|population_footnotes= | population_density_km2 = 366.6| timezone = AST | utc_offset = -4 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = -4| latd= |latm= |lats=
longd=|longm= |longs=
latitude =
longitude =
website =
footnotes = Anthem – "Somos de la Ribera" |

Las Piedras (lahs pee-EH-drahs) is a municipality in east Puerto Rico located in the center region of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Canóvanas and Río Grande; east of Juncos and San Lorenzo; and west of Naguabo and Humacao. Las Piedras is spread over 7 wards and Las Piedras Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).

Las Piedras, being a colorful town, has many natural attractions such as "La Cueva del Indio" which is a place that has original Indian playgrounds, caves and paintings that denote some characteristics of the ancient island's natives. Las Piedras is located about 45 minutes from San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital and 5 minutes from Palmas del Mar, Humacao which is one of the biggest resorts in the Caribbean.

History

Las Piedras was founded in 1773.

Flag

The flag of Las Piedras is formed by three horizontal strips of equal width, the superior (top) white, green the center and blue the inferior (bottom) one. In the center in yellow color resides the Taíno sun of the shield.

Coat of Arms

In a silver field resides a blue monogram of the Holy Virgin, topped by a blue crown. Seven silver stones border the silver field and at the tip of the shield resides the Taíno sun in gold denominated as the "Sun of Las Piedras".

Demographics

Barrios (Districts/Wards) [http://welcome.topuertorico.org/maps/laspiedras.pdf]

*Boquerón *Ceiba *Collores *Las Piedras Pueblo

*Montones *Quebrada Arenas *Tejas *Pueblito del Rio

Anthem

Author Juan Casillas Alvarez Music Germán Peña

Somos de la Ribera
de Las Piedras, Puerto Rico
Que entre ríos y montañas
ampliamos horizontes
cultivando nuestra tierra.

En el Centro de Oriente
Quiso el Obispo de España
Que con amor y gran empeño
Fundara su templo en la montaña
los pedreños.

Somos del barco artesanos
Como pájaros cantores
nos da el sol sus esplendores
e ilumina en nuestras manos
la noble y gloriosa enseña
de la Patria Borinqueña.

Con valor, Oh Ribereños
miremos hacia el futuro
y al triunfo siempre seguros
y al triunfo siempre seguros
marcharemos los pedreños.

Economic

Industrial

*Manufacturing: computers and pharmaceutical.

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

*Monte del Retiro (Archeological site)[phone]
*Artesanial Walk
*Del Indio Cavern
*Francisco Negrón Park
*Las Piedras Historic Museum
*Panoramic Route 917

Festivals and events

*Güiro Festival - March
*Typical Cultural Festival - April
*Cross Festivities - May
*Youngster's Festivities - July
*Typical Festival - September
*Pork Festival - November
*Patron Festivities - December

Notable "Pedreños"

*Eduardo Davila Perez - Professor, Writer and US Korean Veteran
*Adamari Lopez- Actress
*Carmen Benítez - Educator
*Eugenio López - Dairy Farmer & boxer
*José R. Camacho - Radio Announcer
*Juan Manuel Lebron - Actor and Musician
*María Elena Gómez - Judge
*Modesto Velázquez Flores - Fiscal
*Silvia Ricardo - Judge
*Miguel Hernandez Agosto political leader president of Senate of Puerto Rico Partido Popular Democratico
*Miguel Angel Loiz - political leader, educator, poet, senator of Partido nuevo Progresista Humacao District
*Sotero Gómez - Political Leader
*Gabriel Ricard - Political Leader and Mayor
*Víctor Torres - Historian y reporter
*Zenón Hernández - Writer & poet
*Víctor Santana Pérez - historian, teacher, writer, poet,owner of Monte Del Retiro
*Francisco "Sico" Negrón Díaz - Considered "Father of Sports" in our town. The baseball stadium is named after him.
*Moises Castro Peña - Agricultor
*Angelina Davila- Civic Leader
*Modesta Davila - Civic Leader and Member of the Board of Cooperativa de Ahorro Y Credito Las Piedras.
*Modesto Castro Davila - Mayor 1984-1988 and Political Leader Partido Popular Democratico
*Angel Pena Rosa - Political Leader and Mayor 1988-2004 Partido Nuevo Progresista
*Alejandro Dzib Pool
*Edward J. López Sánchez - Outstanding service as member auxiliary of THE U.S. AIR FORCE and civilian pilot.
*Margaro Lopez - Business Leader
*Manolo "Manolin" Rodriguez - Business Leader
*Justino Diaz - Business Leader

References

* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=05000US72085&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_CO2&-format=CO-2 Las Piedras and its barrios, United States Census Bureau]
* [http://www.puertohost.com/maps/las-piedras-map.php Map of Las Piedras Puerto Rico]