Cayey, Puerto Rico:
Coordinates: 18°06′52″N 66°10′05″W / 18.11444, -66.16806
Cayey (ka-YAI) is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Cayey is notable for its surrounding mountains. The city has been actively growing since the 1990s, evidenced by its designation as a Metropolitan Area by the U.S. Census Bureau. It has experienced significant growth in commerce, and many major retailers, such as Wal-Mart have opened stores in this city. A new coliseum and hospital facilities have also been built. Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are two major corporations that have manufacturing facilities in the town. Cayey is host to one of the main campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is the only liberal arts college in Puerto Rico.
[edit] History
Cayey was founded on August 17, 1773 by Juan Mata Vázquez, who became its first mayor. It is said that Cayey derives its name from the Taino Indian word for "a place of waters". Its original name was "Cayey de Muesas".
During 1880, a fire that later acquired legendary status happened in Cayey's Mirador Echevarria area. The fire broke out on the property of a timber company near Charca Del Pato. Many people and dogs died, and legend has it that the dogs' barking can still be heard, and sometimes, at night, the screams of the men who burned to death can still be heard too.
During the first half of the 20th century, Cayey was basically an agricultural area of small farmers and local haciendas dedicated to the farming of crops for the local market. During the 1920s and 1930's farmers increasingly lost their land to absentee landowners, mostly American companies, that turned to the cultivation of sugar cane and, to a lesser extent, tobacco for export. In the 1950s and 1960's some manufacturing concerns established plants in Cayey taking advantage of tax incentives offered by "Operation Bootstrap", Puerto Rico's industrialization program. Among the most notable were the "Consolidated Cigars", making cigars, and what was locally known as "Gordon Shire", a textile plant. These plants created hundreds of manufacturing jobs, mostly for women, and created a housing boom. In the 1960s new housing developments, like "Reparto Montellano", provided new housing for Cayey's increasing population outside of the town proper. By that time, however, you could still see vast sugarcane fields in the "Montellano" area of Cayey and the "Central" where the sugarcane was processed. You could likewise see barns dotting the mountainsides where tobacco was hung to dry. In 1967 the University of Puerto Rico opened a campus in Cayey at the old "Henry Barracks", an abandoned WWI U.S Army base. In the early 1970s PR-52 was completed connecting the North and South coastal areas of Puerto Rico and passing through the mountains of Cayey. PR-52, a multi-lane toll highway, rises from the town of Caguas before taking the path of less resistance in the Valley of Cayey, where it ascends further through the mountains before descending to the coastal town of Salinas.
The flag derives its design and colors from the Coat of Arms, which is in the center of the flag encircled by a solid black ring. The centered Coat of Arms and has four triangles pointing to it, two white and two red.
[edit] Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms has a three tip mountain, a red bull, and a waving blue stripe representing the abundant water in the zone and also in reverence to the primitive Matron of the town of Cayey. The shield is topped with the silver lamb symbol of San Juan of Puerto Rico, and a red book.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)[3]
- Beatriz
- Cayey Pueblo
- Cedro
- Cercadillo
- Culebras Altas
- Culebras Bajas
- Farallón
- Guavate
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- Jájome Alto
- Jájome Bajo
- Lapa
- Matón Abajo
- Matón Arriba
- Monte Llano
- Pasto Viejo
- Pedro Avila
- Polvorin
- Piedras
- Quebrada Arriba
- Rincón
- Sumido
- Toita
- Vegas
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[edit] Topography
Cayey is located in a valley surrounded by La Sierra de Cayey, a mountain range where the Carite Forest Reserve is located, and the Cordillera Central, a mountain range that covers most of the central part of Puerto Rico. Because of its location, Cayey its known for its mountains, its cool weather and its foggy mornings, especially in winter. During Spanish rule Spanish soldiers were sent to Cayey, whose cool weather resembled that of Spain, when assigned to Puerto Rico while they acclimated to the tropical weather. In winter it is not unusual for the temperature to drop into the 50's F.
The Carite Forest Reserve
- Rivers are: Grande de Loíza, Guavate, Jajome, La Plata and Maton.
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Comsat Station
- Guavate
- Ramón Frade Museum
- Sismograph
[edit] Festivals and events
- Regional Fair - April
- Torito Olympics - April
- Matron Festivities Nuestra Señora de Asunción - August
[edit] Notable "Cayeyanos"
- Omar Alvarado, Professional basketball player. (BSN Championship with Criollos de Caguas. Currently with Atleticos de San German)
- Luis Guzmán, actor
- Luz Gonzales (a.k.a. Lucy), Greatest Mom in Bossier City, LA
- Joel Martinez (a.k.a. Fido), Reggaeton singer
- Pedro Montañez, boxer
- Juan Luis Morera Luna (a.k.a. Wisin), Reggaeton singer
- José "Piculín" Ortiz, professional basketball player and a former member of the NBA's Utah Jazz
- Raul Ortiz (a.k.a. Alexis), Reggaeton singer
- Samuel Rivera, mayor of Passaic, New Jersey
- Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006
- Marcelino Sánchez, actor, most remembered for playing Rembrandt in The Warriors
- Llandel Veguilla Malavé (a.k.a. Yandel), Reggaeton singer
- Modesto Cartagena , most decorated Puerto Rican soldier in history
- Ismarie Rivera Negron, Miss Mundo Cayey 2008
- Heriberto Castellano, Lyricist
- Jose M. Otaño, Notable engineer
- Carlos "Kike" Ortiz - baseball player, he played with AA from 1969 to 1999. He was known as "La Gloria del deporte". In the 1982 he went to Cuba to the International Games to represent Puerto Rico.
- Eddie Rosario Reyes, Sports Pressman and former owner of Toritos AA's baseball team from 1983-1989. Also was General Manager of the Puerto Rico's Baseball Federation in the COPUR(Puerto Rico's Olympic Committee) from 1985-1998. Member of the Puerto Rico Baseball's Hall of Fame.
- Israel Matos , National Weather Service Forecast Office, Director.
- German Ocasio Morales, Puerto Rico Fire Department Chief.
- Jose Aponte de la Torre Carolina Ex-Mayor (RIP).
- Alberto Mercado Olimpic Champion.
[edit] Buildings and Structures
[edit] Telemundo WKAQ TV Tower
Telemundo WKAQ TV Tower, situated at 18°6'47"N 66°3'9"W, is a 336.8 metres tall guyed mast for FM-/TV-broadcasting. It was built in 1971 and it is the tallest man-made structure of Puerto Rico.
[edit] Cayey Pegasus Broadcasting Tower
Just a few 100 metres away at 18°6'33"N 66°3'2"W, there is the second-tallest structure of Puerto Rico. It is a guyed mast owned by Pegasus Broadcasting Inc. with a height of 332.5 metres, which was built in 1966.
Ismarie Rivera Negron Miss Mundo Cayey 2008
[edit] Transportation
Cayey has direct access to Puerto Rico Highway 52 and its downtown/business area is served by Puerto Rico Highway 14 which grants access to Aibonito to the west and is the main route to the University of Puerto Rico in the town, and Puerto Rico Highway 15 which grants access to south Cayey, Jajome and Guayama. Puerto Rico Highway 1 bypass the business area. The municipality has good paved roads and is well connected to San Juan, being only 40 kilometers (25 miles) away; and about 60 kilometers (38 miles) to Ponce. Due to its proximity to Caguas and been accessed by PR-52, Cayey is seeing growth in the last years.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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