History of Mayagüez
History of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico by century / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The city of Mayagüez, in Western Puerto Rico, was founded by Spanish colonists in 1760. The area had long been settled by indigenous Taínos. Mayagüez became self-governing in 1763 and was made a villa (chartered town) in 1836. Severe fire damage in 1841 compelled extensive rebuilding. The town became the focus of a distinctive regional identity and was home to liberal and radical thinkers such as Eugenio María de Hostos and the pro-independence activist Ramón Emeterio Betances. City charter status was granted in 1877.
In the Spanish–American War of 1898, Mayagüez welcomed U.S. troops who occupied it on August 11 without a fight. The college that later became the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez opened in 1911. Severe destruction again occurred in the 1918 San Fermín earthquake. During the later 20th century the city developed a large-scale export trade to the U.S., based on tuna processing and textiles.