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Camuy, Puerto Rico

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Camuy (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈmuj]) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Lares and San Sebastián; east of Quebradillas; and west of Hatillo. Camuy is spread over 12 barrios and Camuy Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The town celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007.

Camuy
Municipio Autónomo de Camuy
Town and Municipality
Flag of Camuy
Flag
Coat of arms of Camuy
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
"Ciudad Romántica", "Ciudad de los Areneros", "Ciudad del Sol Taíno, "Valle de las Cavernas"
Anthem: "Pedazo de Borinquen"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Camuy Municipality
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Camuy Municipality
Coordinates: 18°29′02″N 66°50′42″W / 18.48389°N 66.84500°W / 18.48389; -66.84500
Sovereign state United States
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Settledearly 19th century
FoundedJune 12, 1807
Founded byDon Ignacio Jiménez
Barrios
13 barrios
Government
 • MayorGabriel Hernández Rodríguez (PNP)
 • Senatorial dist.3 - Arecibo
 • Representative dist.15
Area
[1]
 • Total
61.91 sq mi (160.3 km2)
 • Land46.43 sq mi (120.3 km2)
 • Water15.49 sq mi (40.1 km2)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total
32,827
 • Rank37th in Puerto Rico
 • Density530/sq mi (200/km2)
DemonymCamuyanos
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code
00627
Area code787/939
Major routes

Camuy is part of the "Porta Atlántico" Tourist Area.

History

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Camuy, popularly known as Romantic City (la ciudad romántica), was founded in 1807 by Petronila Matos, and formerly part of Arecibo is located in the northwestern coastal region of Puerto Rico, less than 5 minutes west of Hatillo municipality, on PR-2 and PR-119. As early as 1846, Puente Camuy, a bridge over the Camuy River linked Camuy with Hatillo.[3] The name Camuy derives from the Taíno language, although a number of legends give differing explanations for the origin of the name. One such legend claims the name comes from the Taíno word for "sun", another claims derivation from camuy, Taíno for "beautiful scenery", and still another states that Camuy was the name of the Taíno chief Yumac with the letters in reverse order. The "sun" legend is reflected in the coat of arms for the municipality.[4]

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Camuy was 10,887.[5]

In its beginnings Camuy was integrated into the Partition of San Antonio de la Tuna. The "partitions" were great expanses of land that divided Puerto Rico. This region today is known as Isabela, Puerto Rico. At the time the partition covered the areas between Aguadilla and Arecibo, what is known today as the municipalities of Camuy, Hatillo, Quebradillas, Isabela, Utuado, and San Sebastián.

The population of Camuy was 35,159 at the 2010 census, and it has land area of 46.3 square miles (120 km2). The municipality is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo metropolitan area and is a popular suburb. It was named in 2015 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors as one of the most livable cities in the United States.[6]

Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in Camuy with the significant amount of rainfall.[7][8] Electricity was restored to the town center on October 4.[9] However, rural areas remained without electricity until March 2018. There were catastrophic damages in Camuy with around 2000 residences damaged or completely destroyed. The hospital's roof was torn off. The 40 animal husbandry businesses in Camuy, agriculture, and tourism industries suffered heavy losses. One of the main tourist attractions in Puerto Rico located in Camuy, Parque Nacional de las Cavernas del Río Camuy was destroyed,[10] and would remain closed for four years.[11]

Geography

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A view from inside the Camuy River Cavern

Camuy belongs to the zone designated as the plateau of the northwest where the terrain is level and known as the Valley of Quebradillas. It is located in the Northern Karst zone of Puerto Rico. In the interior of the municipality the topography becomes very irregular near Cibao. This strip of land, a zone of wooded hills and depressions, divides Camuy completely into two strips, north and south. The northern strip is known as Lomas de los Puertos.[12]

The Camuy River forms part of the hydrographic system with a length of 24 miles, which at one point becomes a narrow canyon that forms one of the most beautiful cave systems in the world: the Rio Camuy Caverns, first explored in 1958. The Camuy River along with the Caverns are the 3rd largest and longest underground system in the world and the river is one of the few remaining active underground rivers in the Americas, stretching for miles. The Cibao River also forms part of the system.

 
Luis Muñoz Marín town square

Barrios

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Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Camuy is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo", near the center of the municipality.[13][14][15]

  1. Abra Honda
  2. Camuy barrio-pueblo[16]
  3. Camuy Arriba
  4. Cibao
  5. Ciénagas
  6. Membrillo
  7. Piedra Gorda
  8. Puente
  9. Puertos
  10. Quebrada
  11. Santiago
  12. Yeguada
  13. Zanja

Sectors

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Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions)[16] and subbarrios,[17] are further subdivided into smaller areas called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.[18][19][20]

Special Communities

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See also: Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development

Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Camuy: Comunidad Puertos, Pueblo Norte (Calle Estrella), Pueblo Nuevo, Puente Peña (Maracayo), and Puente Pica.[21][22]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
190010,887—
191011,3424.2%
192014,22825.4%
193016,14913.5%
194018,92217.2%
195020,88610.4%
196019,739−5.5%
197019,9220.9%
198024,88424.9%
199028,91716.2%
200035,24421.9%
201035,159−0.2%
202032,827−6.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[23]
1899 (shown as 1900)[24] 1910-1930[25]
1930-1950[26] 1960-2000[27] 2010[28] 2020[29]

Tourism

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Camuy is known for its Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy (Camuy River Cave Park), a large network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways shared with nearby municipalities of Hatillo and Lares. The cave system was first documented in the 1973 book Discovery At The Rio Camuy (ISBN 0-517-50594-0) by Russell and Jeanne Gurnee. The park built around the cave system features tours of some of the caves, and is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico. The caverns were created by the Río Camuy (Camuy River), the third longest underground river in the world.[31][32] In recognition of this, the Camuy coat of arms includes a symbol for the underground river.

Landmarks and places of interest

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There are 9 beaches in Camuy, including Peñón Brussi.[33]

 
View of Peñon Amador Beach

Other places of interest of Camuy include:[31]

To stimulate local tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the Voy Turisteando (I'm Touring) campaign in 2021. The campaign featured a passport book with a page for each municipality. The Voy Turisteando Camuy passport page lists Iglesia de Piedra, Balneario Peñon Brusi, and Parque de Las Cavernas del Río Camuy, as places of interest.[38]

Culture

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Religion

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Ernesto Memorial Chapel

Camuy is first and foremost Catholic but there are other religions present in the town, including Protestant denominations such as the Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Methodists, and others. There are four Roman Catholic parishes in Camuy:

  • The San Jose Parish named after the patron of the town and located in the town square[3]
  • The Miraculous Medal (also known as "El Calvario") in Piedra Gorda
  • The Assumption of Mary located in Quebrada
  • Our Lady of Montserrate located at Soller near the municipality of Quebradillas
  • The Ernesto Memorial Chapel, a Methodist church also known as Iglesia de Piedra (Church of Stone) is famous and on the US National Register of Historic Places, because it was handmade with limestones.

Sports

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The town has many local sports teams (volleyball, basketball, martial arts, swimming etc.) but most notably are their baseball teams. Many of them are part of the little league and the intermediate system but at the top the two professional Class A and Double AA baseball teams called "Los Arenosos" (Referring to the abundance of sand from the coastline).

Festivals and Events

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The patron saint of Camuy is Saint Joseph. His day is celebrated on March 1. The patron saint festivities (Fiestas Patronales) are celebrated every year around the last 2 weeks of the month of March, the month of Saint Joseph. His official liturgical day is March 1. Other festivals and celebrations that take place in Camuy include:[31]

  • Velorio Tres Reyes Magos or Three Kings Celebration - January
  • Mondongazo Festival - February
  • Camuy Carnival - February
  • Balseada del Río Camuy and 5k Race - March
  • Patron Festivities San José - March
  • "Reviving Our Traditions Festival" - June
  • Peñon Brussi Beach Festival - July
  • Municipal Cultural Fair - November[39]

Economy

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Agriculture

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Ruins of La Central Ríollano de Camuy

Agriculture (sugarcane some time ago) and cattle and milk production.[12]

Business

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There's an active manufacturing industry in the city, including companies such as Alaska based Cazador Apparel, Seamless Textiles, Hanes, Best Quality Coop and Camuy Furniture Warehouse. SNC Technical Services is another textile manufacturer in Camuy which picked up production in 2019.[40]

In terms of commercial development, several fast foods franchises, banks and stores can be found in Camuy. Two strip malls are also planned to be constructed in the city.

Tourism plays an important role in Camuy's economy due in part to the Rio Camuy Caves, and Camuy's public beaches.[12]

Government

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Main article: Mayoralty in Puerto Rico

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Camuy is Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez, of the New Progressive Party (PNP).[41]

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district III, which is represented by two Senators. In 2008, José Emilio González Velázquez and Angel Martínez Santiago were elected as District Senators.[42]

Transportation

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In 2019, there were 4 bridges in Camuy.[43]

Symbols

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The municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.[44]

Flag

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The flag is green like the coat of arms. A white undulating band runs horizontally across and is interrupted in the middle by the figure of the Camuy sun, in this case represented by the colors yellow and black.[4][45]

Coat of arms

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The silver-waving stripe symbolizes the Camuy River (interrupted in the center because the river goes underground for part of its trajectory). The three tower crown distinguishes Camuy as a municipality.[4][45]

Education

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Camuy currently has 17 public schools[46] and a community college.[47]

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  •  
    The Camuy parish church in downtown Camuy
  •  
    Flamingo and other birds in Yeguada barrio in Camuy

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "American FactFinder - Results". Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2006.
  2. ^ Bureau, US Census. "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ a b Puerto Rico Office of Historian (1949). Tesauro de datos historicos: indice compendioso de la literatura histórica de Puerto Rico, incluyendo algunos datos inéditos, periodísticos y cartográficos (in Spanish). Impr. del Gobierno de Puerto Rico. pp. 13–17. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Camuy Municipality Founding History and Symbols". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  5. ^ Joseph Prentiss Sanger; Henry Gannett; Walter Francis Willcox (1900). Informe sobre el censo de Puerto Rico, 1899, United States. War Dept. Porto Rico Census Office (in Spanish). Imprenta del gobierno. p. 160. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  6. ^ "Boston & Hattiesburg (MS) Named 'Most Livable' Cities in America". Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  7. ^ "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico". USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico" (PDF). USGS Landslide Hazards Program. USGS. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  9. ^ "Fiesta anoche en Camuy porque llegó la luz al casco urbano" [Party last night in Camuy because power returned to the urban area]. Primera Hora (Puerto Rico) (in Spanish). October 4, 2017. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "María, un nombre que no vamos a olvidar. María barre con 2,000 casas en Camuy" [Maria, a name we will never forget. María sweeps up 2,000 homes in Camuy]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). June 13, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  11. ^ "Encaminan reapertura de las Cavernas de Camuy". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). October 27, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "Camuy Municipality General Info (Location, Square Miles, Economy and Geography)". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  13. ^ Gwillim Law (May 20, 2015). Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998. McFarland. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-4766-0447-3. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  14. ^ Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Map of Camuy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  16. ^ a b "US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition". factfinder.com. US Census. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. ^ "P.L. 94-171 VTD/SLD Reference Map (2010 Census): Camuy Municipio, PR" (PDF). www2.census.gov. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  18. ^ "Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget)". Puerto Rico Budgets (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  19. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza: Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (first ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  20. ^ "Leyes del 2001". Lex Juris Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  21. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza:Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (Primera edición ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, p. 273, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  22. ^ "Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). August 8, 2011. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  23. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  24. ^ "Report of the Census of Porto Rico 1899". War Department Office Director Census of Porto Rico. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  25. ^ "Table 3-Population of Municipalities: 1930 1920 and 1910" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  26. ^ "Table 4-Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural: 1930 to 1950" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  27. ^ "Table 2 Population and Housing Units: 1960 to 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  28. ^ Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  29. ^ Bureau, US Census. "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  30. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c "Camuy Municipality Festivals, Places, Mayor". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  32. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  33. ^ "Las 1,200 playas de Puerto Rico [The 1200 beaches of Puerto Rico]". Primera Hora (in Spanish). April 14, 2017. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  34. ^ Cray Ríos, Melissa (March 20, 2021). "Tiene que conocer estas bellezas de Camuy" [You must know these wonders of Camuy]. El Vocero (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  35. ^ "Multi aventuras en Camuy" [Multi adventures in Camuy]. El Vocero. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  36. ^ "Iglesia Cristiana Avivamiento La Piedra (The Stone Church)". Atlas Obscura. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  37. ^ "La historia del pueblo de Camuy en un solo espacio" [The history of the town of Camuy all in one space]. Primera Hora (Puerto Rico) (in Spanish). June 11, 2012. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  38. ^ Pasaporte: Voy Turisteando (in Spanish). Compañia de Turismo de Puerto Rico. 2021.
  39. ^ "Festival.HTML". Archived from the original on August 4, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  40. ^ "Reactivan la industria textil de Puerto Rico". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). June 10, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  41. ^ "Camuy anuncia medidas preventivas ante el coronavirus". Primera Hora (in Spanish). March 12, 2020. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  42. ^ Elecciones Generales 2008: Escrutinio General Archived November 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR
  43. ^ "Camuy Bridges". National Bridge Inventory Data. US Dept. of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  44. ^ "Ley Núm. 70 de 2006 -Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho (78) municipios". LexJuris de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  45. ^ a b "CAMUY". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). February 19, 2020. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  46. ^ "P.R. Public Schools Directory". escuelasdepr.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  47. ^ "Universal Technology College of Puerto Rico". UNITEC. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2019.

Further reading

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