Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Santurce (Spanish pronunciation: [sanˈtuɾse], from the Basque Santurtzi which means Saint George) is a barrio of San Juan. Its population in 2020 was 69,469. It is also the biggest and most populated of all the barrios in the capital city with a bigger population than most municipalities of Puerto Rico and one of the most densely populated areas of the island (13,257.4 persons per square mile).[2]
Santurce
8.70 sq mi (22.53 km2)
5.24 sq mi (13.57 km2)
3.46 sq mi (8.96 km2)
49 ft (15 m)
69,469
13,257.4/sq mi (5,118.7/km2)
(US Census 2020)
Location[edit]
Santurce is located along the north-eastern coast of Puerto Rico. It lies south of the Atlantic Ocean, east of Old San Juan and west of Isla Verde. The district occupies an area of 5.24 square miles (13.6 km2) of land and 3.46 (8.96 km2) of water. It is surrounded by six bodies of water: San Juan Bay, Condado Natural Lagoon, the Martín Peña Channel, San José Lagoon, Los Corozos Lagoon, and the Atlantic Ocean with its respective beaches and estuaries.[8]
History[edit]
Colonial[edit]
In 1760, San Mateo de Cangrejos is founded and later is named Santurce.[9] It was originally settled by the native Arawak and later by the enslaved people from Africa who were forcibly brought by way of the Atlantic slave trade from neighboring islands now known as the Danish West Indies. Throughout the centuries, the district continued to grow due to its location between San Juan and its southern suburbs.[10]
Spanish influence[edit]
In 1876, an engineer from the port town of Santurtzi in Spain's autonomous Basque Country region known as Pablo Ubarri arrived on the island to help in the construction of a railroad system and a steam tramway between San Juan and the town of Río Piedras through the center of San Mateo de Cangrejos which prompted the gentrification of the district. Many years after his arrival he was granted the title of Count of Santurce (which is the Hispanicized equivalent of Santurtzi) by the Spanish Crown. With his newly acquired title and influence, the district was renamed after his title (a decision that has caused controversy ever since). The tourist district of Condado within Santurce also received its present-name from Ubarri's title, as the district's name literally translates to "county" (which in medieval tradition is land granted by a monarch to a count).[11]
Treaty of Paris (1898)[edit]
In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico, finding that the population of Santurce was 5,840.[12] The survey was conducted in the aftermath of te Treaty of Paris which had Spain cede Puerto Rico to the United States in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War as an unincorporated territory of the United States.[12]
The United States Army established Camp Las Casas, in the area of Las Casas in 1904. The camp was the main training base of the Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry (on January 15, 1899, the military government changed the name of Puerto Rico to Porto Rico and on May 17, 1932, U.S. Congress changed the name back to "Puerto Rico") The Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry was a U.S. Army Regiment which was later renamed the "65th Infantry Regiment". The 65th Infantry Regiment was segregated. However, a separate division called the 375th Regiment enlisted Black soldiers. The base continued in operation until 1946, when it was finally closed and the Residencial Las Casas now stands.[13]
Transportation[edit]
Public transportation is provided by several bus lines (locally known as guaguas) operated by the Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority and circulate along the main avenues of Ponce de León and Fernández Juncos among others.
In the peripheries of Santurce there is a rapid transit system called Tren Urbano. The Sagrado Corazón station is the terminus of the sole metro system line of San Juan, located in the southeast section of the district in the neighborhood of Martín Peña.
Santurce is a few minutes away by car from the US territory’s main airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, and from San Juan's secondary commercial airport, Isla Grande Airport.
Santurce is home to some of the most prestigious private education institutions in Puerto Rico.
It also includes notable public schools:
Sports[edit]
Santurce has the most modern swimming facilities in the Caribbean and fourth in the world. It is an Olympic aquatic sports facility used to host local and international events such as the 2nd A.S.U.A Pan American Masters Swimming Championship. The San Juan Natatorium is located in Santurce's Central Park.
The district also has a baseball and a basketball team both known as the
Santurce Crabbers (Cangrejeros de Santurce) because of the original name of the township. They have been part of the community for over 70 years. Both teams have enjoyed great domestic success, the baseball team is regarded as the ‘New York Yankees of Puerto Rico’, largely in part to the accomplishments of its legendary players, such as Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays.
Health[edit]
Santurce has an extensive healthcare network which includes two of the finest hospitals on the island, Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital and Pavia Hospital.