CAYEY, PUERTO RICO

'Cayey' (ka-YAI) is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
Cayey is notable for its surrounding mountains. The city has been actively growing since the 1990s, evidenced by its designation as a Metropolitan Area by the U.S. Census Bureau. It has experimented a significant growth in commerce, and many major retailers, such as Wal-Mart have opened stores in this city. A new coliseum and hospital facilities have also bieng built. Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble have manufacturing facilities in Cayey. Cayey is host to one of the main campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is the only liberal arts college in Puerto Rico.

Contents

History

Flag

Coat of Arms

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

Geo/Topography

Economic

Agriculture

Business

Industrial

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

Festivals and events

Transportation

Education

Notable "Cayeyanos"

Books about Cayey

External links

History

Cayey was founded on August 17, 1773 by Juan Mata Vázquez, who became its first mayor. It is said that Cayey derives its name from the Taino Indian word for "a place of waters". Its original name was "Cayey de Muesas".
During 1880, a fire that later acquired legendary status happened in Cayey's Mirador Echevarria area. The fire broke out on the property of a timber company near Charca Del Pato. Many people and dogs died, and legend has it that the dogs' barking can still be heard, and sometimes, at night, the screams of the men who burned to death can still be heard too.
During the first half of the 20th century, Cayey was basically an agricultural area of small farmers and local haciendas dedicated to the farming of crops for the local market. During the 1920's and 1930's farmers increasingly lost their land to absentee landowners, mostly American companies, that turned to the cultivation of sugar cane and,to a lesser extent,tobacco for export. In the 1950's and 1960's some manufacturing concerns established plants in Cayey taking advantage of tax incentives offered by "Operation Bootstrap", Puerto Rico's industrialization program. Among the most notable were the "Consolidated Cigars", making cigars, and what was locally known as "La Gordon", a textile plant. These plants created hundreds of manufacturing jobs, mostly for women, and created a housing boom. In the 1960's new housing developments, like "Reparto Montellano", provided new housing for Cayey's increasing population outside of the town proper. By that time, however, you could still see vast sugarcane fields in the "Montellano" area of Cayey and the "Central" where the sugarcane was processed. You could likewise see barns dotting the mountainsides where tobacco was hung to dry. In 1967 the University of Puerto Rico opened a campus in Cayey at the old "Henry Barracks", an abandoned WWI U.S Army base. In the early 1970's PR-52 was completed connecting the North and South coastal areas of Puerto Rico and passing thru the mountains of Cayey. PR-52, a multi-lane toll highway, rises from the the town of Caguas before taking the path of less resistance in the Valley of Cayey, where it ascends further thru the mountains before descending to the coastal town of Salinas. Where sugar cane grew now pavement and Walmart rule.

Flag

The flag derives its design and colors from the Coat of Arms, which is in the center of the flag encirled by a solid black ring. The centered Coat of Arms and has four triangles pointing to it, two white and two red.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms has a three tip mountain, a red bull, and a waving blue stripe representing the abundant water in the zone and also in reverence to the primitive Matron of the town of Cayey. The shield is topped with the silver lamb symbol of San Juan of Puerto Rico, and a red book.

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

★ Beatriz ★ Cayey Pueblo ★ Cedro ★ Cercadillo ★ Culebras Altas ★ Culebras Bajas ★ Farallón ★ Guavate

★ Jájome Alto ★ Jájome Bajo ★ Lapa ★ Matón Abajo ★ Matón Arriba ★ Monte Llano ★ Pasto Viejo ★ Pedro Avila

★ Piedras ★ Polvorin ★ Quebrada Arriba ★ Rincón ★ Sumido ★ Toita ★ Vegas

Geo/Topography

Cayey is located in a valley surrounded by La Sierra de Cayey, a mountain range where the Carite Forest Reserve is located, and the Cordillera Central, a mountain range that covers most of the central part of Puerto Rico. Because of its location, Cayey its known for its mountains, its cool weather and its foggy mornings, especially in winter. During Spanish rule Spanish soldiers were sent to Cayey, whose cool weather resembled that of Spain, when assigned to Puerto Rico while they acclimated to the tropical weather. In winter it is not unusual for the temperature to drop into the 50's F.
The Carite Forest Reserve

★ Rivers are: Grande de Loíza, Guavate, Jajome, La Plata and Maton.

Economic

Agriculture

Sugar, tobacco

Business

Poultry, retail

Industrial

Cigars, clothing, plastics, bottling.

Tourism

Cayey's famous tourist attractions, apart from the mountains, include Monumento al J%C3%ADbaro Puertorrique%C3%B1o and Las Tetas De Cayey, also known as "Las Tetas De Doña Fela", which are two mountain tops nicknamed for their similarity to female breasts. The Statue of the Jibarito is an homage to the Jibaro people, the first settlers in the area.

Landmarks and places of interest

★ Cayey is a good place to get the feel of Puerto Rico's mountains, and is known in Puerto Rico for its mountains and its cool climate. For those that like crowds and loud music there are the "Lechoneras" in Guavate, serving roasted pig and typical Puerto Rican dishes ( as well as plenty of local and imported spirits). Puerto Rican artisans also dot the area. Exit PR-52 at the "Guavate" exit where,heading South, you will soon reach the "Lechoneras" just before entering the "Carite" Forest. For those who wish a more secluded experience, take a ride up PR-15, a mountain road that connects Cayey with the coastal town of Guayama. Be prepared to experience lush tropical mountain forests and precipitous mountains. In route, and high in the mountains, you will see the summer house of the Governor of Puerto Rico and, later, a secluded spot with a mountain spring that houses "La Virgen", (a representation of the Virgin Mary), where offerings are laid by those seeking her guidance and favors, while serenated by tropical birds. Most likely than not, you will not see another soul there. You will see the Virgin on your left side, on your right its a precipice. On your way down to the town of Guayama you will see a part of Puerto Rico's beautiful southern coast and the Caribbean Sea. PR-15 is a mountain road in good condition but which must be approached with caution. To take PR-15, you must exit PR-52 in Cayey.

★ Comsat Station

★ Guavate

★ Ramón Frade Museum

★ Sismograph

Festivals and events

★ Regional Fair - April

★ Torito Olympics - April

★ Matron Festivities Nuestra Señora de Asunción - August

Transportation

Education

Cayey is home of the Cayey University College (1967), a branch of the University of Puerto Rico.

Notable "Cayeyanos"

★ 'Heriberto Castellano' - Composer & Lyricist. Composed "''Siempre Primavera''" (Forever Spring) and "''Las Torres Gemelas''" (The Twin Towers) among other works. He currently resides in New York City.

★ 'Heriberto Castellano' - Compositor y Lyricista. Escribio "''Siempre Primavera''" y "''Las Torres Gemelas''" sobre otras obras. El vive en Nueva York.

★ Agustín Fernández Colón

★ Ramón "Moncho" Frade - Painter

★ Modesto Cartagena

★ Baltazar Mendoza Martínez

★ Dalymar Rivera - child prodigy

★ Don Miguel de Muesas

★ Dr. Luis Santos, only Pediatric Gastroenterologist in El Paso, TX and in the region between San Antonio, TX and Tucson, AZ

★ Don Juan Mata Vázquez - Founder of Cayey (1773)

★ Edgardo Rivera Vega - Community leader

★ Emérita León Candelas

★ Eugenio Fernández Méndez

★ Félix Lucas Benet

★ Héctor Alvarado Rivera - Dignatary

★ Luis Guzmán - Actor

★ José "Piculín" Ortiz - basketball player and a former member of the NBA's Utah Jazz;

★ Julio César López

★ Juan Tapia Ramos

★ 'Miguel Meléndez Muñoz'--author and educator, whose descriptions of life in Cayey, like "Cuentos del Cedro", extend from just before the Spanish American War (1898) to the 1950's. His stories bring to life the Cayey of the past in exquisite detail, and the life and plights of the "Jibaros", Puerto Rico's mountain people. Also wrote stories examining Puerto Rican life in the first half of the 20th century, like " Cuentos de la Carretera Central". His works are published in the three volumes "Obras Completas", an invaluable source for those interested in the history of Cayey and Puerto Rico, especially from 1898 to the 1950's.

★ Pedro Montañez- boxer

★ Samuel Rivera - mayor of Passaic, New Jersey

★ Zuleyka Rivera - Miss Universe 2006

★ Marcelino Sánchez - actor, most remembered for playing Rembrandt in The Warriors and Ricardo on 3-2-1 Contact end segment The Bloodhound Gang (TV Series).

★ Raul Ortiz a.k.a. 'Alexis' - Reggaeton singer

★ Joel Martinez a.k.a. 'Fido' - Reggaeton singer

★ Juan Luis Morera Luna a.k.a. 'Wisin' - Reggaeton Singer

★ Llandel Veguilla Malavé a.k.a. 'Yandel' - Reggaeton Singer

★ Andres Rivera Ortiz--Employment and Labor Attorney

★ Jose(Joe)Ortiz Negron--Community Activist

Books about Cayey

★ "Obras Completas" by Miguel Melendez Munoz.

External links

★ La Tuna de Cayey (Official Web site)

★ Map of Cayey Puerto Rico

★ Photos of Cayey at Tom Neuschafer Online