![]() ![]() Its location along the Camino Real between the walled city of San Juan and the rest of the island turned Río Piedras into a commercial hub and junction between the Spanish colonial government and the rest of Puerto Rico. The Camino Real, precursor to the Carretera Central, connected Río Piedras with Caguas and to southern Puerto Rico, was also built before the end of the century. A road connecting Río Piedras to San Juan was built during this time, along with the first church, Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Pilar, at the site of the modern town plaza. ![]() Sugar cane, cotton and coffee were some of the goods produced during this era at the municipality. The town eventually adopted the name of that river, Río Piedras, and was proclaimed a municipality in 1823, when the city hall and plaza (main town square) were built.ĭuring the nineteenth century, most of its territory was used for agricultural and livestock-raising purposes. It was settled on the intersection of the Piedras River and the Juan Méndez Creek (part of the Puerto Nuevo River basin). The town was founded as El Roble and officially recognized by Spanish Governor Juan de Rivera in 1714. The area where Río Piedras is located today was previously settled by the Taíno, and archaeological sites have been uncovered nearby in Carolina. Sugarcane was one of the biggest crops throughout the town's history. ![]()
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