Moca, Puerto Rico


Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo. It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The name of Moca comes from the tree Andira inermis whose beautiful pink/purple flowers expose their presence, which are very common in this region.
The Moca tree was officially adopted as the representative tree of the town on February 19, 1972. Moca is famous for its Mundillo lace. Mundillo is the Puerto Rican name for handmade bobbin lace. It is almost synonymous with the small town of Moca.

History

Moca known as La Capital del Mundillo', it is famous for its lace or Mundillo. It was founded by Don José de Quiñones on June 22, 1772. Diverse versions exist on the date of its foundation. Manuel de Ubeda and Delgado, in his "Isla de Puerto Rico. "Estudio histórico, geográfico y estadístico", published in San Juan in 1878, says to us that it was founded on 1774. On the other hand, Cayetano Coll y Toste, in the "Boletín histórico de Puerto Rico", maintains that it was founded on June 22, 1772.
On August 14, 1898, The United States Armed Forces entered and took the town of Moca finding no resistance. On August 8, 1898, after the Spanish–American War officially ended, Puerto Rico became a United States territory as an outcome of the Treaty of Paris of 1898.

Hurricane Maria

on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in Moca with the significant amount of rainfall. About 1300 homes were impacted by landslides and flooding, bridges collapsed and residents were left without access to electrical power, telecommunication services and basic necessities. Close to a month and a half later, 25% of the 31,117 residents of Moca had electrical power and access to drinking water restored and 75% did not.

Geography

Moca is located on the northwest.
Localization: 18° 23'N and 67° 06'W of the Meridian of Greenwich. It is located in a small valley, in the skirts of "The Tuna" mountains, at 141 feet above sea level.
Climate: Tropical with hardly noticeable seasonal changes. Temperatures throughout the year range highs between and lows between.
Hydrography: The Río Culebrinas crosses its territory from east to west, and its tributaries include the gorges of Los Gatos, Lassalle, de las Damas, Vieja, Los Romanes, the Morones, Higuillo, Chiquita, Yagruma, Echeverria, Aguas Frias, Las Marias, de los Méndez, La Caraíma, Grande, y Dulce.
Cerro Moca, Monte El Ojo, Monte Mariquita of the Jaicoa Mountain Range
On May 16, 2010, Moca was the epicenter of a strong 5.8 earthquake. The earthquake was felt in the entire island and also in the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands. Damage was reported in various towns.

Barrios

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Moca is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as "el pueblo".
  1. Aceitunas
  2. Capá
  3. Centro
  4. Cerro Gordo
  5. Cruz
  6. Cuchillas
  7. Marías
  8. Moca barrio-pueblo
  9. Naranjo
  10. Plata
  11. Pueblo
  12. Rocha
  13. Voladoras

    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 were in Moca in 2014: Aceituna, Sector Isleta in Cruz barrio, Parcelas Acevedo and Parcelas Mamey in Moca barrio-pueblo, and Loperena.

Demographics

As of 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Moca had a total population of 36,328 inhabitants. Like most people in Puerto Rico, Mocanos are a mix of three races: African, Taino and European.

Economy

Landmarks and places of interest

Festivals and events

Moca celebrates its patron saint festival in late August/early September. The Fiestas Patronales Nuestra Señora de la Monserrate is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.

Sports

Moca has a Double-A team called the Moca Vampiros that play in the Superior Baseball League.
Moca also had a volleyball team named "Los Rebeldes", which played in LVS through the years of 1998 to 2005. The team went to the post season every year, obtained a controversial second place in its 1998 final with the "Changos" of Naranjito. In addition, "Los Rebeldes" were National Champions against the "Changos" in the 2000 final. "Los Rebeldes" swept the "Changos" 4–0 in the finals.

Vampire Myth

Moca is famous in Puerto Rico for El Vampiro de Moca. El vampiro de Moca was believed to exist because cows were found dead after they had what appeared to be fang holes on their necks. Not only did cows appear with this phenomenon but also sheep and goats.

Government

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Moca is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is José Avilés Santiago, from the New Progressive Party. Avilés was elected at the 2000 general election.
The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, María Teresa González and Gilberto Rodríguez were elected as District Senators.

Transportation

There are 12 bridges in Moca. Moca used to have a taxi system or “Carros Públicos” but they were dismantled due to the popularity of the automobile.

Symbols

Flag

Erick De Jesus was the designer of the flag. The rectangular flag consists of a purple equilateral triangular field, the color of the Moca tree flower. In this field appear five-point stars, silver-plated, surrounding a greater gold star, also with five points.

Coat of arms

It has oblong form. Divided in a silver-plated field and blue sky united by a purple rhombus, the color of the Moca flower. The rhombus has within religious symbolisms. The rhombus is surrounded, in its inferior part, by two branches of the Moca tree; in its superior part, an arc of eleven silver-plated five-point stars. Within the rhombus is a gold monogram topped by a Christian crown of the same metal. A silver-lined crown in form of a three-tower castle crowns the shield. On the frontal portion of the crown, carved in gold, the word Moca. The stones of the castle are lined in blue. The doors and windows are purple.

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