Rio Grande HISTORY

   
       Foundation: Río Grande (REE-o GRAHN-de) was founded by don Desiderio Escobar y Quilimaco Escobar, who were empowered by most of the neighbors of this region so that in their names they would ask authorization to populate. The governor Miguel López de Baños acceded and it was founded July 26, 1840. At the time the municipality was made up of the following wards: Ciénaga Alta, Ciénaga Baja, Jiménez, Guzmán Abajo, Guzmán Arriba, Herrera, Río Grande Pueblo and Zarzal. The name derives from the Grande river, affluent of the Espíritu Santo that flows near the population. During the years of the conquest and the first years of the colonization, it was within reach of the Caribe and Taíno Indians from the Lesser Antilles, thus the development of the area, like the one of all those of the coastal plain of the northeast, was delayed by their attacks, in which many settlers and animal stock died. Once the Indians of Vieques, Santa Cruz and other islands disappeared, the region's development continued with the first cattle ranches, sugar cane and fruit farms.
In 1897 the Mameyes II ward of the municipality of Luquillo was annexed to Río Grande. This municipality (Luquillo) was dissolved in 1899 and its wards were distributed between Fajardo and Río Grande. The Mata de Plátano, Mameyes I, Hato Viejo and parts of Sabana wards were also added to Río Grande. Towards 1910 the Hato Viejo ward disappeared. In 1914, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the restituted the municipality of Luquillo and all the wards that integrated it when it was dissolved were given back, except for Mameyes II. In its early years the municipal economy was based on the cattle ranching and sugar cane.

Location: Río Grande is located in what is known as the Northern Coastal Valley. It is bordered north by the Atlantic Ocean and Loíza, to the south by Las Piedras, Naguabo y Ceiba, to the west Canóvanas and Loíza and east with Luquillo and Fajardo.
 

Maps and Pictures

Rio Grande Barrios  Rain Forest (El Yunque)   Rain Forest-2

Espiritu Santo River  Rio Grande Plantation   Westin Rio Mar