Calle Méndez Vigo (Mayagüez) Explained
Calle Méndez Vigo (Mendez Vigo Street) is a major thoroughfare in the western Puerto Rico municipality of Mayagüez with a length of about 1.22 miles (2 km). The street is oriented east–west with traffic running one-way westbound with the number of lanes going from one to two after the road passes Calle Ramón Emeterio Betances (formerly Post Street) in downtown Mayagüez.[1] Some of the most important historical places in Mayagüez are located on this street:
- E. Franco & Co (the house of the "Brazo Gitano Franco")
- Escuela Mariano Riera Palmer
- Iglesia Católica de Nuestra Señora del Carmen
- Edificio Darlington
- Parque Suau, Casa Gómez
- Antiguo Hospital Ramírez
- Casa Casals-Defilló
- Edificio Westernbank
- Iglesia Central Presbiteriana
- Edificio la Palma
- Edificio La Bolsa
- Panadería y Repostería Ricomini
- Municipal Historical Archives (Teatro Riera)
- Teatro Balboa
History of the name
The street is named after Spanish General Santiago de Méndez Vigo, who was Governor of Puerto Rico during the early 1840s.[2] The Great Fire of 1841 on January 30 destroyed much of the Villa; of the 700 houses in Mayagüez, only 40 remained. Governor Santiago Méndez Vigo was informed and he immediately headed towards Mayagüez on horseback with a few of his assistants.[3] The governor brings with him 20,000 pesos in silver coins to help the victims of the fire.[3] The Villa of Mayagüez in a gratefulness to the Governor changes the name of the main street to Méndez Vigo. Before the street was called Calle Comercio (Commerce Street).[4]
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Tránsito Promedio Diario (AADT) . Transit Data (Datos de Transito) . DTOP PR . 151 . es . 2019-04-30 . 2019-04-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190401220153/http://act.dtop.pr.gov/index.php/download/traffic-data-report-2000-2009/?wpdmdl=528 . dead .
- Web site: Governantes de Puerto Rico . Link to Puerto Rico . es . 2007-09-19 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070807165406/http://www.linktopr.com/gobernantes.html . August 7, 2007 .
- "Mayagüez; Notas para su Historia"; by Silvia Aguilo Ramos (Author); Page: 76; Publisher: Model Offset Printing, San Juan (1984); Language: Spanish
- Ricardo Rosas, Jr., "Fuegos Ocurridos en Mayagüez", Anuario de Las Fiestas Patronales, 1958
