Sandpaper (Puerto Rico)

History

The hamlet was founded in 1692 by Juan Ponce of León there Loayza, the grandson of the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce of León. From there comes its nickname, the City of the lions . The hamlet becomes village in 1848 and city with whole share in 1877. This growth must primarily with the varied agricultural productions (canes, corn, coffee) and with the trade of the Rhum. At the end of the 19th century, Ponce is populated even than San Juan.

In 1883, the city is devastated by a fire.

March 31st 1937, it was the theater of the Massacre of Pounce at the time of a peaceful demonstration celebrating the 64e birthday of the Abolition of slavery in the island.

Geography

detailed Article: Geography of Puerto Rico .

Economy

The saving in Pounce is historically based on the culture of the Canne to sugar, in particular for distillings of Rhum which made the fortune of the big families ponceñas of the 19th century in the middle of the 20th century. This economy is in major decline since the Second world war. Only distilling Serralles persists by producing the Don Q , but the majority of the production of cane come from Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Tourism

the Cross of the Watchtower, a tower of 30 m height concrete in the shape of cross built on the historical place of the watchtower of the city, and dominating it.
the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Guadalupe
the Parque Bent, the fire station become museum with historical parts.

Culture

The Museum of the Art schools de Ponce, founded by Shine A. Ferré in 1965, has a completely remarkable collection of 3000 works for a town of this size, with in particular of paintings of primitive Italian, French and Flemish of great quality. The collections also extend to and 19th century (in particular English) until the modern time with fabrics from artists Oporto-yankees. It is actually about the only museum of the island having an international stature.

External bonds

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