History

Founding

In 1815, a group of residents, under the leadership of Don Juan Jose de la Torre, began the process to separate Morovis from Manati. In 1817, the government of Puerto Rico approved the separation, but it was not until 1818 that the requirements of a population of one thousand residents and the construction of a church and several other public buildings was fulfilled, that the town of Morovis was officially founded. In 1822, the mayorship was constructed and in 1823, the new church was built dedicated to Nuestra Senora del Carmen on lands donated by Don Juan Evangelista Rivera. Its first mayor was Don Juan Jose de la Torre.

Morovis has a particular nickname. It was the only municipality in Puerto Rico that did not suffer from a cholera epidemic in 1853; as a result, a common phrase, "la isla menos Morovis" ("(all) the island but Morovis") was coined, which identifies the town informally in Puerto Rico. The phrase is believed by most Puerto Ricans to have a negative connotation against moroveños, while, in reality, it means the opposite.

Flag

The flag of Morovis is divided vertically in two equal parts. The immediate one to the mast is yellow and has the eagle of the Coat of Arms, in this case with the head facing right toward the pole. The other half is divided in seven vertical stripes of equal width, four red ones alternated with three yellow ones.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of the Municipality of Morovis is formed by an eagle in the left partition, which symbolizes San Juan Evangelista and sings in honor of the founder of the town, Don Juan Evangelista Rivera. The five "cuatros" (Puerto Rican instruments) observable in the right partition symbolize the fact that the town of Morovis is the main center of production of such typical Puerto Rican instruments. The shield in the center represents the Order of the Carmelite Nuns, and symbolizes as well the Virgen Carmen, matron of the town. The left half is a field of yellow color (yellow for gold) in which resides a saber (black) eagle, beak and claws in red, its head enclosed with a halo. The right half division is in red with five cuatros (Puerto Rican instruments) in yellow (for gold); and in the small center shield, the Coat of Arms of the Order of the Carmelite Nuns. At the top is located a three tower crown of yellow, lined in saber (black) with red doors and windows.

Barrios (Districts/Wards)

• Barahona
• Cuchillas
• Fránquez
• Monte Llano
• Morovis Norte
• Morovis Sud
• Pasto
• Perchas
• Río Grande
• San Lorenzo
• Torrecillas
• Unibón
• Vaga
  

Agriculture

Coffee and cattle.

Industrial

Light industry.

Landmarks and Places of Interest

• Agricultural Toasting
• Blue Star Stable
• Cabachuelas Caverns
  

Festivals and Events

• Tribute to Don Felo - May
• Matron Celebrations - July
• Cuatro Festival - July
• The Island Except Morovis - December
• Innocents' Day - December

Notable Moroveños

• Angel G. Quintero Alfaro - Dean and Secretary of Education
• Baltasar Corrada del Rio - former Resident Commissioner of Puerto
• Rico, former mayor of San Juan, and Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
• Justice
• Graciani Miranda Archilla - Poet and writter
• Heraclio Rivera Colón - Teacher and senator
• José del Río de León - Mayor, legislator to the Camera and Senate
• José Rivera Barreras - Fiscal and judge of the Superior Court
• Manuel Joglar Cacho - Poet
• Zaida Hernandez - former Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of
• Representatives and later Appellate Judge.

Morovis, Puerto Rico. (2006, September 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:13, October 19, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morovis%2C_Puerto_Rico&oldid=76609082