San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico

San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
Municipality

Flag
Nickname(s): "The Town of the Samaritans", "Land of Leyends"
Anthem: "Son tus campos de bellísimo verdor"

Location of San Lorenzo in Puerto Rico
Coordinates: 18°11′24″N 65°58′7″W / 18.19000°N 65.96861°W / 18.19000; -65.96861Coordinates: 18°11′24″N 65°58′7″W / 18.19000°N 65.96861°W / 18.19000; -65.96861
Country United States
Territory Puerto Rico
Founded 1737
Founded by Valenciano Munoz de Oneca
Government
 • Mayor Hon. Joe Román (PPD)
 • Senatorial dist. 7 - Humacao
 • Representative dist. 33
Area
 • Total 53.3 sq mi (138.07 km2)
 • Land 53.3 sq mi (138 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.07 km2)  0%%
Population (2011)
 • Total 41,947
 • Density 790/sq mi (300/km2)
Demonym(s) Sanlorenceños
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
ZIP Code 00754

San Lorenzo (Spanish pronunciation: [san loˈɾenso], Saint Lawrence) is a municipality of Puerto Rico (U.S.) located in the eastern central region, north of Patillas and Yabucoa; south of Gurabo; east of Caguas and Cayey; and west of Juncos and Las Piedras. San Lorenzo is spread over twelve wards and San Lorenzo Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

San Lorenzo is called El Pueblo de los Samaritanos or La Tierra de Leyendas. The patron of the municipality is Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes. The surrounding areas produce tobacco and sugar cane.

History

San Lorenzo was founded in 1737 and the church was erected in 1811, the original name San Miguel de Hato Grande was changed to San Lorenzo. According to tradition it was because the latter saint appeared to several neighbors in the river valley. San Lorenzo is known as "The People of the Samaritans" because of the following story; "By 1920, in the barrio Hato of San Lorenzo according to the media available at the time and verbal testimonies of people who are still alive, crowds of people climbed a mountain where a young girl of 12 years of age lived. This young girl named Julia Vazquez Torres, according to some sources, had a supernatural power that repeatedly gave healing to people in need. These undeniable achievements were not present at the time, she used home remedies applied with medicinal plants and minerals and the purity of the water from a well, near the mountain where people came to see her. As time passed, she became an adult, but her reputation for integrity and dedication to the wellbeing of the people accompanied her every day her life".

Geography

San Lorenzo is located in the eastern central region, north of Patillas and Yabucoa; south of Gurabo; east of Caguas and Cayey; and west of Juncos and Las Piedras.

Rivers
Wards or barrios
Landmarks and places of interest

Economy

Agriculture

The economy of San Lorenzo, founded in the herd, that is, livestock farming, later included the cultivation of sugar cane, which was processed in this period in a steam-driven farm and five oxen and two stills . Coffee and fruits are also cultivated in the municipality. Timber production, which was very rich, had declined by the uncontrolled exploitation of forests.

Industry

Clothing, pharmaceuticals, footwear, electromechanical equipment, industrial and household paints

Culture

Events and Festivals:

Sports:

Government

San Lorenzo's town hall.

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, San Lorenzo is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is José Román Abreu(Joe), from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Román was elected at the 2000 general election.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district VII, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, Jorge Suárez and José Luis Dalmau were elected as District Senators.[3]

Symbols

Flag

The flag of San Lorenzo is divided in four rectangles of equal size, two rectangles are yellow and the other two are striped with red and yellow stripes.

Coat of arms The grill is the traditional symbol of San Lorenzo, deacon and martyr, patron of the town, because in a grill he underwent the martyrdom, slowly burned to death. The hill or mountain represent the Gregorio Hill, which dominates the San Lorenzo panorama. The cross is one of the heraldic attributes of San Miguel Arcángel.

Notable natives and residents

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Elecciones Generales 2012: Escrutinio General". Div1.ceepur.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
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