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Aguadilla history - learn what once happend
The present territory of the City of Aguadilla, was originally part of the territory of Aguada, which segregated around 1780 to form an independent party. Formerly, all the section of Aguada's territory that today contitutes the Victoria and Higuey wards was known as Aguadilla. Long before 1770 in Higuey existed a village, which in 1776 Fray Inigo Abbot, in his description of the towns of the island, mentions as the "new Town of San Carlos of the Aguadilla." Nevertheless, according to Dr. Agustin Stahl in his "Foundation of Aguadilla", it was not until 1780 that the town was officially founded. The construction of a new church and the proceedings to become independent from Aguada and to constitute itself an independent party began in the 1775. The population in the Village of Aguadilla continued to increase constantly mainly due to its excellent port and strategic location in the route of the boats. In 1776, when Santo Domingo became independent for the first time, the loyals to Spain emigrated to Puerto Rico, mainly to Aguadilla, which caused the population to continue increasing significally. In 1831, according to Don Pedro Tomrs de Crrdova, the party of Aguadilla belonged to Aguada. At this time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla was as follows: Pueblo Norte (North Town), Pueblo Sur (South Town), Ceiba Alta, Ceiba Baja, Montara, Malezas, Aguacate, Dos Palmas, Camaseyes, Plainela, Borinquen, Arenales, Higrey, Corrales, Victoria, and Mangual. Don Pedro Tomrs de Crrdova mentions the road of Aguadilla formed by the Point of Borinquen and the one of San Francisco, as the "fordeadero of the ships that travel from Europe to Havana and Mexico". He adds that its "port is the most frequented in the Island due to the proportions that it offers to refresh all class of ship." In 1860, Aguadilla was officially declared a Village. Several years later, when the island was territorially organized into seven departments, Aguadilla became the head of the third department that included the municipalities of Aguada, Isabela, Lares, Moca, Rincon, and San Sebastian. In January of 1841 a Royal Order transferred the judicial party from Aguada to the new Town of Aguadilla. In 1878, according to Don Manuel Ebeda y Delgado, the territorial organization of Aguadilla had varied a little. At this time Plainela, Higrey, and Mangual wards are not mentioned. The Dos Palmas ward appears as Palmar. Also at this time, three new wards are mentioned: Guerrero, Caimital Alto, and Caimital Bajo. In 1898, even with the change of sovereignty in the island, the territorial organization of Aguadilla is the same to that of 1878. Nevertheless, in the Census of 1899, Downtown Aguadilla appears constituted by Higrey, Iglesia, Nueva, Santa Barbara, and Tamarindo wards. Malezas ward appears subdivided into Maleza Alta and Maleza Baja. From that time, the territorial organization of Aguadilla did not change, until 1948, when the Puerto Rico Department of Planning prepared the map of the City of Aguadilla and its wards and following instructions of city authorities, Higrey and parts of Caimital Alto wards are annexed to Downtown Aguadilla. Today, the territorial organization of Aguadilla is as follows: Downtown (constituted by Higrey, Church, Nueva, Santa Barbara, and Tamarindo), Aguacate, Arenales, Borinquen, Caimital Alto, Caimital Bajo, Camaseyes, Ceiba Alta, Ceiba Baja, Corrales, Guerrero, Maleza Alta, Maleza Baja, Montaa, Palmar, and Victoria.
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