Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
| Vega Alta, Puerto Rico | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | ||
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| Nickname(s): Pueblo de los Ñangotaos", "Los Maceteros | ||
| Anthem: "En la costa norte de mi islita" | ||
 Location of Vega Alta in Puerto Rico |
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| Coordinates: 18°24′44″N 66°19′53″W / 18.41222°N 66.33139°WCoordinates: 18°24′44″N 66°19′53″W / 18.41222°N 66.33139°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| Founded | 1775 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Oscar Santiago (PPD) | |
| • Senatorial dist. | 3 - Arecibo | |
| • Representative dist. | 11,12 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 27.75 sq mi (71.87 km2) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 39,951 | |
| • Density | 1,400/sq mi (560/km2) | |
| Demonym(s) | Vegalteños | |
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | |
| Zip code | 00692 | |
Vega Alta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbeɣa ˈalta], Upper Riverplain) is a municipality of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is located on the northern coast of the island, north of Morovis and Corozal; east of Vega Baja; and west of Dorado with an area of 28 square miles (73 km2). Vega Alta is spread over seven wards and Vega Alta Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Vega Alta is west of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is known for the beach at Cerro Gordo. Other points of interest include the town's Catholic church, known as Inmaculada Concepción, founded in 1813, and the Vega Alta Forest.
During the first week of December, Vega Alta celebrates its patron, The Immaculate Conception.
Vega Alta was founded in 1775 by Francisco de los Olivos. It was first named La Vega de Espinosa and known as el pueblo de los Ñangotaos ("the squatters", in reference to the "jíbaros" country folk who would squat due to lack of benches to wait for the train). Before this it was part of a group of towns known as "Las Vegas." It was then that one area was named Vega Baja and the other Vega Alta.
On October 12, 1898 the city's mayor, Francisco Vega, received U.S. troops as part of the Spanish–American War. On that same day, for the first time in Vega Alta's history, the U.S. flag was lifted on city hall. From 1902 to 1905, Vega Alta became once more part of the neighbor city of Vega Baja. In 1905, the government of Puerto Rico passed a law, allowing Vega Alta to become a municipality with its own limits.
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Wikipedia