São José is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It is one of the constituent parts of the city of Ponta Delgada, and location of many of the island's more significant cultural and historical, commercial and residential buildings. Extending a short distance along the coast it, nevertheless includes a large mixed urban-rural constituency from the shore north to the main freeway, the Via-Rápida. The population in 2011 was 5,934, in an area of 1.66 km².
History
Historically, the region of the parish of São José was the dropping-off point for the settlers to the western part of the island. Its past is naturally confused with the history of Ponta Delgada, or Ponta de Santa Clara, in the writings of Gaspar Frutuoso, which was transformed into town by King Manuel I of Portugal in 1499. Later it was elevated to the status of city in 1546, under the decrees of John III of Portugal. In July 2002, owing to the population and administrative issues, the civil parish of Santa Clara separated from São José. On 20 March 2009, the local government authority inaugurated symbolically, during the celebrations of the feast day of the localpatron saint, its parish seat on the Rua da Lisboa. This event which included representatives of the regional authority, former politicians and municipal council, was celebrated with blessings from deacon José Garcia, speeches, plaque unveiling and presentation of a photographic gallery of former notable figures from the parishes history and past parish presidents.
Geography
Its urban extent, which extends into the new parish of Santa Clara, is one of the most built-up regions, preserving a patrimonial identity that is multi-secular, that includes administrative, political, military and religious buildings. Its territory of approximately 1.6 km² is wedged between Santa Clara, Arrifes, São Sebastião and the ocean.
Architecture
One of the historical centres of the island of São Miguel, São José was one of the early settlement destinations. As a result, the streets of the parish are occupied by several buildings of significant historical and/or cultural significance:
António Borges da Câmara Medeiros, a property-owner, businessman and Azorean politician;
Luís Soares de Sousa, businessman, Republican politician and benefactor;
José Bensaúde, industrialist and businessman
José Joaquim de Sena Freitas, a priest, orator and publicist responsible for public works involving questions of religion and morals, who quarrelled with Portuguese and Brazilian intelecturals and journalists;
Joaquim Teófilo Fernandes Braga was a Portuguese writer, playwright, politician and the leader of the Republican Provisional Government after the abdication of King Manuel II
Domingos Maria Xavier Rebelo, better known as Domingos Rebelo, was a teacher and Azorean regionalist painter, author of many iconographic representations of the Azores, in particular his painting Os Emigrantes, his most recognizable image ;
