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Dorado, Puerto Rico

Dorado, Puerto Rico
Town and Municipality
Central Square in Dorado town.
Central Square in Dorado town.
Flag of Dorado, Puerto Rico
Flag
Nickname(s): "Ciudad Ejemplar", "Donde La Vida Es Bella","Paraiso de Puerto Rico","La Ciudad Más Limpia de Puerto Rico"
Anthem: "Por fin, en las riberas"
Location of Dorado in Puerto Rico
Location of Dorado in Puerto Rico
Coordinates: 18°27′32″N 66°16′04″W / 18.45889°N 66.26778°W / 18.45889; -66.26778Coordinates: 18°27′32″N 66°16′04″W / 18.45889°N 66.26778°W / 18.45889; -66.26778
Country United States
Territory Puerto Rico
Founded 1842
Government
 • Mayor Hon. Carlos A. López Rivera (PPD)
 • Senatorial dist. 3 – Arecibo
 • Representative dist. 11
Area
 • Total 23.23 sq mi (60.16 km2)
Population (2010)
 • Total 38,165
 • Density 1,600/sq mi (630/km2)
 • Racial groups
(2000 Census)
48.0% White
45.0% Black
2% American Indian/AN
3.0% Asian
0.0% Native Hawaiian/PI
2.0% Arabic.
Demonym(s) Doradeños
Time zone AST (UTC-4)
Zip code 00646

Dorado (Spanish pronunciation: [doˈɾaðo], Golden) is a town and municipality in the northern coast of Puerto Rico, 15 miles (24 km) west of San Juan and is located in the northern region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Toa Alta, east of Vega Alta, and west of Toa Baja. Dorado is spread over five barrios and Dorado Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The town is regarded as a tourist destination with golf courses, hotels, and beaches. However, many locals would dispute this claim. It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Dorado Airport was operated from 1942 to 1996. The airport began as a military landing strip, then became a civilian airport in the 1960s with Caribair and Dorado Wings flights operating until 1980 and 1982 respectively. The airport operated as a private landing strip throughout the 1980s and then fell into disrepair. In 1996, the airport was rezoned as residential land and redeveloped.

Dorado has upscale neighborhoods and a small downtown area with a plaza (Spanish town square), as other Puerto Rican municipalities. The town's patron saint is Anthony of Padua, and patron saint celebrations are held at the plaza every year on June 13.

During the early years of the 18th Century, there were already mentions of a "Sitio de Dorado" in some San Juan registers.

Since the beginning of the Spanish colonial period and until 1831, Dorado existed as a barrio (or ward) of the town of Toa Baja. Over several years, the ward grew and established its own town center called the "new pueblo" to differentiate itself from Toa Baja, which became known as the "old pueblo." Over several years, the wards that currently make up Dorado grew and the people of the "new pueblo" wanted to separate themselves from Toa Baja.


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