Lajas, Puerto Rico

Lajas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlaxas]) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Lajas Valley in southwestern Puerto Rico, on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of San Germán and Sabana Grande; east of Cabo Rojo; and west of Guánica. Lajas is spread over 11 barrios plus Lajas Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Germán-Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Lajas
Municipio de Lajas
Town and Municipality
Homes in Lajas
Homes in Lajas
Flag of Lajas
Flag
Coat of arms of Lajas
Coat of arms
Nicknames: 
"La Ciudad Cardenalicia", "Los Tira Piedras"
Anthem: "Nuestro Lajas, pueblito querido"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Lajas Municipality
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Lajas Municipality
Coordinates: 18°03′07″N 67°03′35″W
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Founded1883
Barrios
12 barrios
Government
 • MayorJayson Martínez (PNP)
 • Senatorial dist.5 - Ponce
 • Representative dist.21
Area
 • Total76.85 sq mi (199.04 km2)
 • Land61 sq mi (158 km2)
 • Water15.85 sq mi (41.04 km2)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total23,334
 • Rank53rd in Puerto Rico
 • Density300/sq mi (120/km2)
DemonymLajeños
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code
00667
Area code787/939
Major routes

History

Located at the Lajas Valley, the town was founded in 1883 by the Xueta Teodoro Jacome Pagan. Xuetes (Chuetas) were Majorcan Jews (Sephardi Catalan Jews). Some families changed their names from Jacome to the Castilian form Santiago. Jacome is the Mallorquin form of James (Ia'akov). Catalan Jews from Majorca were part of the early settlers in the South of (Boriken) (Puerto Rico).

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 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 Lajas was 8,789.[2]

The village of La Parguera is a popular tourist destination to see the famous Bahía Fosforescente (Phosphorescent Bay) and its numerous keys and islets.[3] Parador La Parguera was founded by Puerto Rican comedian Henry LaFont (Julio Pancorbo Ortiz).[4]

People from the El Combate community in barrio Boquerón are known as mata con hacha ("those who kill with axes") based on folklore about a fight over the salinas, where those from Cabo Rojo fought with axes against people from the adjacent town of Lajas. Because the people from Lajas apparently fought back by throwing stones they are known as tira piedras ("those who throw stones").[5]

On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico. In Lajas, over 270 residences lost their roof. The hurricane destroyed Lajas' pineapple industry.[6]

Geography
Picture of La Parguera, Lajas taken during ISS Expedition 53

Lajas is located on the southern coast. Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge is a national protected area located in Lajas.[7]

Barrios
Subdivisions of Lajas

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Lajas is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo".[8][9][10][11][12][13]

  1. Candelaria
  2. Costa
  3. Lajas
  4. Lajas barrio-pueblo
  5. Lajas Arriba
  6. Llanos
  7. Palmarejo
  8. Parguera
  9. París
  10. Plata
  11. Sabana Yeguas
  12. Santa Rosa

Sectors

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions)[14] and subbarrios,[15] in turn, are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.[16][17][18]

Special Communities
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 Lajas: El Papayo, El Tendal, Sector Sabana Yeguas, La Haya, Las Cuevas, Los Jovillos, Maguayo, Piñalejos, and Tokio.[19][20]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19008,789—
191011,07126.0%
192011,9087.6%
193012,4544.6%
194014,73618.3%
195016,32610.8%
196015,375−5.8%
197016,5457.6%
198021,23628.4%
199023,2719.6%
200026,26112.8%
201025,753−1.9%
202023,334−9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
1899 (shown as 1900)[22] 1910-1930[23]
1930-1950[24] 1960-2000[25] 2010[26] 2020[1]

Tourism

Lajas is famous for its main touristic attraction, Bahía Fosforescente (La Parguera), a place where bioluminescent dinoflagellates of different colors appear when the water moves. The origin of the colored lights is the object of many legends. Lajas is also a fishing town.

Landmarks and places of interest
Caracoles, a mangrove island off La Parguera

There are 5 beaches in Lajas.[27] Some of the main attractions of Lajas are:

Culture

Festivals and events

Lajas celebrates its patron saint festival in February. The Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.[7][29] The festival has featured live performances by well-known artists such as Tito Rojas, and Arcángel.[30]

Other festivals and events celebrated in Lajas include:

  • Kite Festival – February / March
  • Festival de Pesca de la Aguja Azul – May
  • Pineapple Festival (Festival de la Piña Paradisíaca) - May or June, where up to 50,000 people come for arts, crafts, music and 30,000 lbs. of pineapple[31]
  • Fiesta de San Pedro Festival – June
  • Agriculture Fair or (Feria Agrícola Nacional del Valle de Lajas) – June / July[32]
  • Christmas Parade and Artisans Fair – December

Government
Main article: Mayoralty in Puerto Rico

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Lajas is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is Jayson Martínez, from the New Progressive Party (PNP). Martínez was elected at the 2020 general election.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district V, which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, Ramón Ruiz and Martín Vargas Morales, from the Popular Democratic Party, were elected as District Senators.[33]

Transportation

There are 5 bridges in Lajas.[34]

Notable people

Symbols

Lajas municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.[35]

Flag

The flag consists of three horizontal stripes; the top one is green, the center one is white and the bottom one is light yellow. A vertical white stripe down the left makes a white cross. In the center of the cross is a ripe yellow pineapple. The cross is surrounded by eleven gold stars; five in the top part and six in the lower part of the cross, in the form of a circle.[36]

Coat of arms

It is gold with a green band crossing it diagonally right to left; gold stands for the wealth of the land and green for the beauty of the valley, which is a gift from mother nature to Lajas. The band is adorned, at each end, with a pineapple bordered in gold and black. In the center of the band, also in gold, a marine shell. In the top left there is a red cardinal's hat and in the bottom a red anchor with green; the shield has a 3 tower castle, each one with two windows and a door. On the bottom, outside the shield, a banner with the inscription "Ciudad Cardenalicia" (Cardinality City). The banner and the inscription appear in black.[36]

Scenes around Lajas:

  • Children at Feria Agrícola Nacional Del Valle De Lajas
    Children at Feria Agrícola Nacional Del Valle De Lajas
  • Cays and boats in La Parquera
    Cays and boats in La Parquera
  • Boats in the Caribbean Sea in Lajas
    Boats in the Caribbean Sea in Lajas
  • Roseate tern at La Parguera, (on the list of threatened species)
    Roseate tern at La Parguera, (on the list of threatened species)
  • Moonrise over the dock at La Parguera
    Moonrise over the dock at La Parguera

See also

References
  1. Bureau, US Census. "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  2. 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. Washington : Govt. print. off. p. 160.
  3. "La Parguera". Lajas PR. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  4. VOCERO, Redacción, EL. "Fallece Henry Lafont: fundador del Parador Villa Parguera". El Vocero de Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. "Página Oficial Municipio Autónomo de Cabo Rojo". Cabo Rojo PR. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  6. "María, un nombre que no vamos a olvidar. Arrasadas las cosechas de piñas en Lajas" [Pineapple crops destroyed in Lajas]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  7. "Lajas Municipality". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  8. Picó, Rafael; Buitrago de Santiago, Zayda; Berrios, Hector H. (1969). Nueva geografía de Puerto Rico: física, económica, y social, por Rafael Picó. Con la colaboración de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Héctor H. Berrios. San Juan Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico,1969. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  9. 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.
  10. 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 January 12, 2019.
  11. "Map of Lajas" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 22, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "Map of the Neighborhoods (Barrios) of Lajas". Lajas PR. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  14. "US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition". factfinder.com. US Census. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  15. "P.L. 94-171 VTD/SLD Reference Map (2010 Census): Lajas 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 23, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  16. "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.
  17. 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
  18. "Leyes del 2001". Lex Juris Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  19. 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
  20. "Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). August 8, 2011. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  21. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  22. "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.
  23. "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.
  24. "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.
  25. "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.
  26. 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 January 12, 2019.
  27. "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.
  28. "If He Builds It, Will They Come? - CBS News". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  29. J.D. (May 2, 2006). "Lajas". Link To Puerto Rico.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  30. "Fiestas Patronales en honor a la Virgen de la Candelaria". sondeaquiprnet. El Gobierno Municipal de Lajas. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  31. "Esperan 50,000 personas en Festival de la Piña". Primera Hora (in Spanish). May 20, 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  32. Admin (July 4, 2018). "Feria Agrícola Nacional del Valle de Lajas 2018". MiAgendaPR.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  33. Elecciones Generales 2012: Escrutinio General Archived 2013-01-15 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR
  34. "Lajas Bridges". National Bridge Inventory Data. US Dept. of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  35. "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). Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  36. "LAJAS". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). February 19, 2020. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
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