MOCA, PUERTO RICO

'Moca' (MO-kah) is a northwest municipality of Puerto Rico located in the western region of the island, south of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 10 wards and Moca Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
The name of Moca comes from the tree ''Andira Ínermis'' whose beautiful pink/purple flowers expose their presence, which are very common in this region.
The Moca tree was officially adopted as the representative tree of the town on February 19, 1972. Moca is famous for its "mundillo" lace. Mundillo is the Puerto Rican name for handmade bobbin lace. It is almost synonymous with the small town of Moca.

Contents

History

Flag

Coat of Arms

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

Geo/Topography

Anthem

Economy

Landmarks and places of interest

Festivals and events

Government

Education

Sports

Notable "Mocanos"

References

Footnotes

Books about Moca

Additional Information

Photo gallery

External links

History

Moca known as ''"La Capital del Mundillo"'' (The capital of lace) it was founded by Don José de Quiñónez on April 7, 1772. Diverse versions exist on the date of its foundation. Manuel de Ubeda and Delgado, in his "''Isla de Puerto Rico. "Estudio histórico, geográfico y estadístico"'', published in San Juan in 1878, says to us that it was founded on 1774. On the other hand, Cayetano Coll y Toste, in the "''Boletín histórico de Puerto Rico''", maintains that it was founded on April 7, 1772.
On August 14, 1898, The United States Armed Forces entered and took the town of Moca finding no resistance. On August 8, 1898, after the Spanish-American War officially ended, Puerto Rico became a United States territory as an outcome of the Treaty of Paris of 1898.

Flag

The rectangular flag consists of a purple equilateral triangular field, the color of the Moca tree flower. In this field appear five point stars, silver-plated, surrounding a greater gold star, also with five points.

Coat of Arms

It has oblong form. Divided in a silver-plated field and blue sky united by a purple rhombus (diamond shape), the color of the Moca flower. The rhombus has within religious symbolisms. The rhombus is surrounded, in its inferior part, by two branches of the Moca tree; in its superior part, an arc of eleven silver-plated five-point stars. Within the rhombus is a gold monogram (of the Virgin Mary) topped by a Christian crown of the same metal. A silver-lined crown in form of a three-tower castle crowns the shield. On the frontal portion of the crown, carved in gold, the word Moca. The stones of the castle are lined in blue. The doors and windows are purple.

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

★ Aceitunas ★ Capá ★ Cerro Gordo ★ Cruz ★ Cuchillas ★ Centro

★ Marías ★ Naranjo ★ Plata ★ Pueblo ★ Rocha ★ Voladoras

Geo/Topography

'Localization:' 58° 23'N and 67° 06'W of the Meridian of Greenwich. It is located in a small valley, in the skirts of "The Tuna" mountains, at 141 feet (43 m) above sea level.
'Climate:' Tropical with hardly noticeable seasonal changes. Temperatures throughout the year range between 76 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 37 °C).
'Hydrography:' The Culebrinas river crosses its territory from east to west, and its tributaries include the gorges of Los Gatos, Lassalle, de las Damas, Vieja, Los Romanes, the Morones, Higuillo, Chiquita, Yagruma, Echeverria, Aguas Frias, Las Marias, de los Méndez, La Caraíma, Grande, y Dulce.
Cerro Moca, Monte El Ojo, Monte Mariquita of the Jaicoa Mountain Range

Anthem

By Augusto Hernández

Doce barrios, doce estrellas

en nuestra constelación

que queremos con orgullo

y defedemos con tezón.

Sus veredas, sus campiñas,

sus mocas de verde y flor

dan belleza a nuestro suelo

con un radiante esplendor.

Desde el norte de la Sierra

hasta el sur del Culebrinas

laboramos los mocanos

hasta conquistar la cima.

Las nuevas generaciones

se están nutriendo con gloria

del legado que ha dejado

lo héroes de nuestra historia.

Economy

★ 'Agriculture:' Fruits, and some cattle ranching.

★ 'Business:'

★
★ 'Industrial:' Alarms, clothing, electronic machinery, footwear, plastic products.

Landmarks and places of interest

★ Enrique Laguerre House

★ Enriqueta Hacienda

★ Julia's Mundillo Shop

★ Our Lady of Monserrate Parish

★ The Mellendez Castles

Festivals and events

★ Shrimp Festival - May

★ Patron Celebrations - September

★ Mundillo (lace) Festival - November

★ Enchaquetao Parranda - December

★ Festival de Mascaras (Parrandas de los Inocentes) - December

Government

Education

Sports

Moca has a Double-A Baseball team called the Moca Vampiros that play in the Superior Baseball League.

★ Juan Sanchez Acevedo Coliseum

Notable "Mocanos"

★ Antonio Caban Vale - '"El Topo"', folklore singer, composer, composed "Verde Luz" unoffial anthem of Moca.

★ Dr. Efraín Sánchez Hidalgo - Professor in psychology

★ Enrique A. Laguerre Vélez - Doctor in philosophy and letters, educator, Nobel Prize Nominee (Literature)

References

★ Moca and its barrios, United States Census Bureau

Footnotes

Books about Moca

Additional Information

Photo gallery

External links

★ Map of Moca Puerto Rico