Hormigueros, Puerto Rico
| Hormigueros, Puerto Rico | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | ||
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| Nickname(s): "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Monserrate", "El Pueblo del Milagro", "Los Peregrinos", "Corazón del Oeste" | ||
| Anthem: "Sobre un verde valle de mi linda Borinquén" | ||
 Location of Hormigueros in Puerto Rico |
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| Coordinates: 18°08′23″N 67°07′39″W / 18.13972°N 67.12750°WCoordinates: 18°08′23″N 67°07′39″W / 18.13972°N 67.12750°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| Territory | Puerto Rico | |
| Founded | 1874 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Hon. Pedro García Figueroa | |
| • Senatorial dist. | 4 - Mayagüez | |
| • Representative dist. | 20 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11 sq mi (29 km2) | |
| • Land | 11 sq mi (29 km2) | |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 17,250 | |
| • Density | 1,500/sq mi (590/km2) | |
| Demonym(s) | Hormiguereños | |
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | |
| Zip code | 00660 | |
Hormigueros (Spanish pronunciation: [ormiˈɣeɾos], Formicaries) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, northeast of Cabo Rojo; northwest of San Germán; and south of Mayagüez. Hormigueros is spread over 5 wards and Hormigueros Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The region of what is now Hormigueros belonged to the Guaynia region, located on the southernwest portion of Puerto Rico. Archaeological findings have established that there were tribes already settled in the region around 820 BC.
During the Spanish colonization at the beginning of the 16th century, it is possible that some of them settled in the area. A coffin found underground a basilica was tested in laboratories and was dated prior to 1600. Some historians also mentioned the Horomico river as one of the main sources of gold during the rush of the era. In 1692, the town of Hormigueros was first established, first as a village of Mayagüez.
From 1863 to 1873, residents of the area started petitioning for the area to be declared an independent town. In 1874, it was finally granted independence from San Germán.
The town's flag is based on the towns shield. It consists of a blue cloth with a horizontal white rhombus. Superposed on the white rhombus is another blue rhombus with a white globe outlined in blue with a cross. The globe with the cross symbolises royalty and represents Christ's domain over the world. This symbol is a traditional attribute to the Virgin of Montserrat.
The town's shield is formed by a blue rhombus, with silver-plated edge. On the blue bottom there's a green hill which is a representation of Our Lady of Monserrate de Hormigueros' Sanctuary, with its silver stairway. The border has symmetrical black dots, on guard. On the top of the shield resides a crown formed by a wall, with three towers that have blue doors and windows. The joints of the stones are filled with blue lines. The shield is surrounded by two chains that begin at the crown and finish under the bottom part of the shield with the last links broken.
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Wikipedia