Loading

  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Timeline Of Ponce, Puerto Rico, History
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Pre 16th century

16th century

  • 1508 – Cacique Agüeybaná, the cacique who led the region of which Ponce was a part, greets Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León on his arrival to the island of Puerto Rico.
  • 1511 – Agüeybaná II, the cacique of the area that would later be known as Ponce, leads the Taíno rebellion of 1511 against the Spanish invaders but later dies of battle wounds.
  • 1550 – Or, middle of the 16th century. Residents of San German spread out to the plains of the southern coast of Puerto Rico as far as Rio Jacaguas, now part of Ponce, to raise cattle and farm the land.
  • 1582 – Colonizers settled on the banks of Rio Jacaguas, Ponce.

17th century

  • 1646 – The area settled by the Spanish colonists is first referred to by the name of "Ponce".
  • 1670 – A chapel is erected in the middle of the Spanish settlement and dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
  • 1678 – Governor Juan de Robles Lorenzana attempts to organize the settlement at Ponce with the appointment of a "Capitán a guerra" but, unwilling to formalize the settlement, all of the Ponce residents refuse to accept the post.
  • 1692 – The Spanish settlement at Ponce is recognized as a hamlet by Spanish King Carlos II.

18th century

  • 1712 – The populated place is chartered as El Poblado de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Ponce (The village of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Ponce).
  • 1724 – Founding of the San Antonio Abad shrine at the location currently occupied by the Ponce City Hall.
  • 1740 – The Ponce Catholic parish burns, making it the first of many notorious fires in the city.
  • 1742 – The English attack Ponce and the invasion is repelled by local citizens.
  • 1760 – Fuerte de San José is built in Barrio Playa.
  • 1765 – First census yields a total of 3,314 souls residing in Ponce.
  • 1778 – Coamo takes over administrative jurisdiction of the region of Ponce from San German.
  • 1787 – The 1787 Boricua earthquake cracks the walls of the Our Lady of Guadalupe church.

19th century

  • 1800 – A census yields a total of 7,234 souls residing in Ponce.
  • 1811 - Intendente Alejandro Ramirez declares the Port of Ponce open to international commerce.
  • 1812:
  • 1813 – The naval customs office is established.
  • 1814 – First cemetery is built.
  • 1816 – Ponce ceases to depend on Coamo for governmental matters and becomes seat of the Southern District government.
  • 1819 – First public scrivener (clerk) is appointed.
  • 1820:
    • A large fire that "almost destroyed the early Ponce settlement" takes place, prompting Governor Miguel de la Torre to order that "every male from 16 to 60 years old must become a [volunteer] firefighter".
    • The first known division of the village into barrios.
    • Declared seat of one of seven judicial districts in Puerto Rico.
  • 1821 – Declared headquarters of Southern Military District.
  • 1826 – 10 July: Slave rebellion. Eleven slaves are executed and six other are condemned to 10 years of hard labor.
  • 1827 – 26 February: A large fire in Playa de Ponce started by lightning destroys many residential homes and warehouses with estimated losses at $37,000 ($53.9 million in 2023 dollars) Spanish pesos.
  • 1833 – Hacienda Buena Vista is established.
  • 1836 – Inauguration of Ponce's Ayuntamiento General.
  • 1839:
    • The town's chapel is demolished and a new church with two octagonal towers is built in its place.
    • The Court of First Instance is transferred from Coamo to Ponce.
  • 1842 – 17 February: Seven slaves are executed at Cerro del Vigía and 6 others received prison sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years for an organized rebellion the previous year (1841).
  • 1843 – Mayor Juan Rondón inaugurates the Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro cemetery (then called Cementerio Civil) and he is also first person to be buried there.
  • 1845 – A fire in Barrio La Playa destroys most of the sea-front settlement
  • 1846:
    • The Ponce City Hall is built to be used as a jail.
    • Royal decree organizing the municipal government of Ponce.
  • 1848:
    • 29 July: Granted the status of villa (town).
    • A third slave rebellion takes place (see 1826 and 1841).
  • 1853 – 17 January: There is a mayor fire in Ponce which, because there were no firefighters yet, was put out by residents and civil and military authorities. It resulted in a campaign for the establishment of a group volunteer firefighters.
  • 1857 – Construction of Carretera Central (today's PR-14 and PR-1) begins, joining Ponce and San Juan.
  • 1858 – Carnaval de Ponce starts its annual celebration.
  • 1863:
  • 1864:
    • Teatro La Perla, so named to honor the Virgin of Montserrat (who was known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean.") opens with La Campana de la Almudaina.
    • The Ponce Gas Company is founded by Julio Steinacher.
  • 1870:
  • 1871 - Logia Aurora Num. 1, a masonic lodge was founded in Islote Caja de Muertos, Ponce.
  • 1873 – Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad, the first Anglican church anywhere in Latin America, is built.
  • 1874:
    • 14 January, Verification of the Ponce leg of the transatlantic cable at the Port of Ponce.
    • 18 May, the city is first lit using gas-based lampposts.
    • 8 September, telegraph service begins.
  • 1876:
  • 1877 – 16 August: Granted status of city (ayuntamiento).
  • 1880:
    • 20 September. A large fire destroys most older civil records (birth, baptism, marriage, etc.) of the Ponce parish.
    • 23 October. The Ponce Railway, running from downtown Ponce to the Port of Ponce starts operation.
  • 1882 – Great Agricultural and Financial Fair at Plaza Las Delicias.
  • 1883 – Population: 39,052 in city; 155,597 in province (departamento).
  • 1885 – Hospital Tricoche opens after an endowment by Valentin Tricoche.
  • 1886 – Leaders of the Partido Autonomista Puertorriqueño deliver their Plan de Ponce manifesto, also known as Plan Autonomista de Ponce.
  • 1887 – The Spanish activate the Caja de Muertos Light followed, two years later, by the Cardona Island Light.
  • 1889 – Cardona Island Light is lit by the Spaniards
  • 1894
  • 1895:
  • 1897:
  • 1898:
  • 1899:

20th century

1900-1949

1950-2000

21st century

See also