Hacienda Buena Vista
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hacienda Buena Vista (or Buena Vista Plantation in English) is a plantation and estate in Ponce, Puerto Rico established in the 19th Century. The plantation belonged to the renowned Vives family, and is now in the custody of the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust (Fideicomiso de Conservación), which turned it into a museum.
[edit] History
Hacienda Buena Vista was built in 1883 by the Vives family for the initial purpose of growing fruits. Originally, it covered 500 acres. In 1845, the "hacienda" was turned into a coffee plantation and corn mill. Eventually it would become one of the most succesful plantations of the island. In 1937, with the decline of agriculture in the island, the plantation was partially abandoned and deteriorated heavily.
In 1984, the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust bought 86 of the original 500 acres, with the intention of restoring it. Despite the extensive deterioration of the machinery and the buildings, the organization managed to rebuild the estate and partially return it to its original state.
Hacienda Buena Vista is now one of the best-known tourist spots in the island, with extensive tours through the plantation grounds and the old Vives house. Visitors can see the original machinery at work and learn more about how the plantation worked in the 1880s.
