Hatillo, Puerto Rico


Hatillo is a municipality located in 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 nine wards and Hatillo Pueblo. It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Agustín Ruiz Miranda, a Canarian immigrant, founded Hatillo on approximately ten cuerdas in 1823. Miranda granted this land on the condition that public buildings be erected and wide streets be built, and that the remaining land be sold or used for homes.
In its first year, Hatillo had 910 people; increasing to 2,663 inhabitants the following year distributed among the central town and the barrios of Carrizales, Capáez, Naranjito, Corcovado, Buena Vista,, Campo Alegre,, Pajuil, Bayaney, Aibonito, and Barrio Pueblo. Barrio Pajuil had disappeared by the 1940 census being divided up between Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre barrios. There were also two sugarcane plantations named “Hacienda Santa Rosa” measuring 150 cuerdas and “Hacienda Perseverancia” at 50 cuerdas.
The United States took control of Puerto Rico from Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898. In 1899, the United States conducted its first census of Puerto Rico, finding that the population of Espino barrio was 1,148.
Hatillo, like several other municipalities on the island, experienced boundary changes from the 1902 municipality consolidation law in which Hatillo was annexed temporarily into neighboring Camuy. Three years later the territorial legislature approved the reformation of Hatillo as a separate municipality from Camuy in 1905. In 1910, Barrio Pueblo changed its name to Hatillo barrio. In 1930, Yeguadilla Occidental and Yeguadilla Oriental barrios' names were changed to Buena Vista and Campo Alegre, respectively. As mentioned before, Pajuil barrio disappeared by the 1940 census being divided up between barrios Buena Vista, Naranjito, Corcovado and Campo Alegre. In 1947 the Planning Commission of Puerto Rico issued a new map of Hatillo municipality and its barrios. As a result of this new map, the central town was expanded to include part of Hatillo barrio and the name of “Corcovados” was changed to "Corcovado”.

Hurricane Maria

on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in Hatillo with the significant amount of rainfall.

Geography

Hatillo is a coastal town on the northern side of Puerto Rico. There are 9 bridges in Hatillo.

Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Hatillo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo".
  1. Aibonito
  2. Bayaney
  3. Buena Vista
  4. Campo Alegre
  5. Capáez
  6. Carrizales
  7. Corcovado
  8. Hatillo
  9. Hatillo barrio-pueblo
  10. Naranjito

    Sectors

Barrios in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores. The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.

Special Communities

Of the 742 places on the list of Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods are in Hatillo: Altos de Fuego, Clan neighborhood, Aibonito, Naranjito, Bayaney, and Buena Vista.

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

There are 10 beaches in Hatillo.
Other places of interest in Hatillo include:

Agriculture

Today, Hatillo is the major producer of milk on the island and produces a third of the milk consumed in Puerto Rico.

Business

is a shopping mall located in the barrio of Carrizales.

Demographics

Culture

Festivals and events

Hatillo celebrates its patron saint festival in July. The Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.
Other festivals and events celebrated in Hatillo include:
The Mask Festival began in 1823, and was imported by the immigrants from the Canary Islands, where the traditional festival originated. The early tradition of the festival required that the male population dress as women and they would visit each residence where the owners would offer them food and drinks. Currently the festival is celebrated every year on December 28. The Masks are fashioned and based on the biblical story of King Herod. The costumes used are very elaborate and the Masks represent the soldiers which were sent by the King to kill all the innocent Christian children of Israel. The festival, however is presented in humor and said soldiers only joke around and ride on chariots.

Symbols

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 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 the motto is inscribed, Hatillo Del Corazón.

Gallery