Santa Bárbara de Heredia
| Santa Bárbara de Heredia | |
|---|---|
| District | |
Santa Bárbara de Heredia Plaza and Cathedral
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 Santa Bárbara de Heredia
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| Coordinates: 10°02′18″N 84°09′38″W / 10.03833°N 84.16056°WCoordinates: 10°02′18″N 84°09′38″W / 10.03833°N 84.16056°W | |
| Country |
 Costa Rica
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| Province | Heredia Province |
| Canton | Santa Bárbara |
| Elevation | 1,140 m (3,740 ft) |
| Demonym(s) | Bárbeño |
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC-6) |
| Climate | Am |
The district of Santa Bárbara de Heredia is one of the six districts that make up the canton of Santa Bárbara, Costa Rica. The district of Santa Bárbara is most commonly referred to as Santa Bárbara de Heredia, but also referred to as the municipality of Santa Bárbara. It is an important commercial and transportation hub, approximately seven miles from the provincial capital of Heredia and five miles from the provincial capital of Alajuela.
Before the Spanish settlers came, Santa Bárbara was originally occupied by the Huetares, an indigenous tribe. The Huetare King, Cacique Garabito, dominated the area. When the Spanish arrived, they originally called the area Churruca or Surruco. Heredia, Barva, and Alajuela, three neighboring cities, were populated and settled in the late 1700s. As trade increased between the three cities, Santa Bárbara developed as a waypoint. Though still commonly referred to as Churruca or Surruco, the name for the municipality and canton of Santa Bárbara was first mentioned in documents from 1821.
The area of the current plaza in Santa Bárbara was the approximate center of the four districts in the region and a small hermitage was built there in 1837. By 1846, 1,500 people lived with the Santa Bárbara canton. With a priest visiting every Sunday, San Pedro de Santa Bárbara resident Pedro Saborío suggested the construction of a Catholic church near the current plaza in 1852. In 1859, Monseñor Joaquín Anselmo Llorente y Lafuente, the bishop of San José, began construction of a cathedral in its current location.
The district of Santa Bárbara was officially formed in December 1848 as a church parish, recognized by the national government. In 1855, Florentino Cortés became the first mayor of the district. In September 1889, the city of Santa Bárbara was officially founded. It was first classified as a villa, but became a city as the population grew.
Santa Bárbara's first public school opened in 1860 with cobbler Tomás Redondo giving the first lessons. The first official teacher was Diego Trejos.
In 1896, the first electric lighting arrived in the district. A hydroelectric plant was built along the Porrosatí River, on the border of the districts of Santa Bárbara and San Juan in 1914. In 1911, running water pipes were installed in Santa Bárbara.
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Wikipedia