| Bayamón, Puerto Rico | |||
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| Aerial view of Bayamón, Puerto Rico | |||
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| Nickname(s): "La Ciudad del Chicharrón" (The Porkrind City), "La Ciudad de los Vaqueros" (The Cowboys City) | |||
| Motto: In Hoc Signo Vinces (Latin for: "With this as your standard you shall have victory" | |||
| Anthem: "Bayamón, ciudad hermosa" | |||
| Location of Bayamón in Puerto Rico | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| Territory | Puerto Rico | ||
| Founded | May 22, 1772 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Ramón Luis Rivera, Jr. (PNP) | ||
| • Senatorial dist. | 2 - Bayamón | ||
| • Representative dist. | 7, 8, 9 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 44.5 sq mi (115.34 km2) | ||
| • Land | 44.4 sq mi (114.95 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.39 km2) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 208,116 | ||
| • Density | 4,673.3/sq mi (1,804.4/km2) | ||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | ||
| Zip code | 00956, 00957, 00959, 00961, 00960, 00958 | ||
| Website | municipiodebayamon.com | ||
Bayamón (Spanish pronunciation: [baʝaˈmon]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Bayamón is sometimes called "El Pueblo del Chicharrón" (Pork Rind Town) and "Ciudad del Tapón" (City of the Traffic Jams) because of the constant traffic jams that plague the city. Juan Ramírez de Arrellano established Bayamón as a town on May 22, 1772. It derives its name from the local Indian chief Bahamon or from the Taíno word Bayamongo, which is the name of the main river that crosses the city.
Bayamón is Puerto Rico's second largest city, and is situated in what is considered to be the island's metropolitan area. It shares its metropolitan area status with San Juan, Guaynabo, Cataño, Toa Baja, Canovanas, Carolina and Trujillo Alto.
Unlike Ponce, Aguadilla and Mayagüez, it does not have an airport due to its proximity to San Juan, the capital.
The current flag of Bayamón, with a white field, official color of Bayamón, was embroidered by Mrs. Gloria M. León and maintains the design and colors of its Coat of Arms.
This shield is symbol and synthesis of the history and the values that distinguish the city of Bayamón. The main colors of the shield are blue and silver representing the waters of the Bayamón river and recalls that it was on these banks where the first hydraulic sugar cane refinery of Puerto Rico was established in 1549. The center contains the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz), patron of the first church of the municipality and the name of the old sugar cane refinery "Santa Cruz", which was the historical origin of the town of Bayamón. The sugar cane flowers (guajanas) allude directly to the sugar cane industry that is of social and economic importance to the origin and development of Bayamón.
The five-tower crown, which is used for cities, was assigned to Bayamón as an exception for its extraordinary urban development, the magnitude of its population and for its religious dignity, which will possibly be raised to become Episcopal seat. The motto "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES" makes reference to Emperor Constantine when in the 4th century had the vision in which the victory was promised to him if it accepted the Cross of Christianity as his banner.
The hymn of Bayamón is: Bayamón, ciudad hermosa (Spanish for: Bayamón, beautiful city)
Bayamón, ciudad hermosa
Letra: Ramón Luis Rivera
Música: Rafi Escudero
Bayamón, ciudad hermosa
orgullosa de su ayer
al mirar hacia el futuro
ves un nuevo amanecer.
En tu gente la esperanza
son tus hijos tu primor
porque luchan sin descanso
por triunfar y darte honor.
Bayamón, mi ciudad
mi lugar es aquí
porque quiero luchar
en tu suelo hasta morir.
Bayamón, mi ciudad
orgulloso estoy de ti
de tu amor cantaré,
en un himno al porvenir
| Race - Bayamón, Puerto Rico - 2010 Census[1] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Population | % of Total |
| White | 162,893 | 78.3% |
| Black/Afro-Puerto Rican | 21,373 | 10.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,183 | 0.6% |
| Asian | 482 | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 24 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 15,189 | 7.3% |
| Two or more races | 6,972 | 3.4% |
Bayamón rivers include: Río Bayamón, Río Hondo, Río Minillas, Río Bucarabones and Río Cuesta Arriba.
Coffee, grapefruit, sugar, tobacco and vegetables. The first hydraulic sugar mill on the island was built in Bayamón about 1548, and sugar has continued to be a valuable commodity.
Commercial offices, Hospitals and Commercial centers are available throughout the city. Bayamón is one of the Puerto Rican cities with most shopping centers per capita. Here are some:
Bayamón has many public and private schools. It also has many higher-learning institutions such as the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón, the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico's School of Optometry, Bayamón Central University, American University, Universidad Central del Caribe, and some community colleges.
The Vaqueros de Bayamón are the city's BSN representatives and the team with the most championships in history with 14, the last one achieved in 2009.
Vaqueras de Bayamón is the local representative for the women's volleyball league Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino.
The famous boxing fight between Alexis Argüello and Alfredo Escalera (their first; their equally legendary rematch was held in Rimini, Italy) was held in Bayamón in 1978.
The Puerto Rico Islanders of the North American Soccer League play at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón. A new team, Bayamón FC, are to start playing in the stadium in the Puerto Rico Soccer League in the 2009 season. Sevilla Bayamón FC, now called Sevilla-FC Juncos, used to play in the stadium, until they moved to the town of Juncos due to ownership and financial problems.
Professional boxers Luis Del Valle, Wilfredo Vazquez and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. are from Bayamón.
Bayamón serves as the host city for foreign consular representation in Puerto Rico for the following nations: