History

Aguadilla was once the site of the U.S. military's Ramey Air Force Base. Though the infrastructure still exists, it was handed over to the municipality of Aguadilla in the 1970s and is now civilian controlled. The hangars and runway of what was once the Ramey Air Force Base now make up the Rafael Hernandez International Airport.

Barrios (Districts/Wards)

• Aguacate
• Arenales
• Borinquén
• Caimital Alto
• Caimital Bajo
• Camaceye
• Ceiba Alta
• Ceiba Baja
• Corrales
• Guerrero
• Maleza Alta
• Maleza Baja
• Montaña
• San Antonio
• Palmar
• Victoria

Business

The retail sector has flourished with the building of the Aguadilla Mall

Future plans are to bulid a 5-story building called Plaza Mercado on the same site as the old Plaza Mercado, build Hotel Las Cascadas and the new Electronic Library as well and upgrade downtown Aguadilla by putting power lines underground.

Industrial

Aguadilla was once primarily a fishing village, but has changed with the times. Although there is still a great deal of commercial fishing in Aguadilla, the city is now also home to a variety of industrial plants ranging from Tyco, Micron Technology and Hewlett Packard. These industrial plants have drastically increased the income per capita of Aguadilla, giving rise to a robust middle class and upper-middle class, by Puerto Rican standards.

Police

Aguadilla has its own police department: Policia Municipal Aguadilla (Aguadilla City Police Department), located in Aguadilla Pueblo. The A.C.P.D. only have jurisdiction in the municipality of Aguadilla and provide service and protection to local citizens and travelers alike.

Tourism

Local tourism has been boosted by the creation of the water park "Las Cascadas" (the waterfalls), and the Caribbean's only ice skating complex - Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena.

Aguadilla is most famous for its world class surfing beaches. Aguadilla's beaches host a variety of amateur and professional level surfing events every year. They have also hosted a variety of championships including the ISA world championships in 1968 and 1988. Famous surfing spots in Aguadilla include "Surfer's Beach", "The Table", "Gas Chamber", "Las Ruinas", "Crash Boat", and "Survivor".

Landmarks and Places of Interest

• Crash Boat
• Cristobal Colón Park
• Fisherman's Monument
• Jobos Beach
• La Ponderosa Beach
• La Poza Beach
• Las Cascadas Aquatic Park
• La Saldinera Beach
• Ojo de Agua
• Punta Borinquen Golf Course
• Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins
• Rafael Hernández Monument
• Ramey Golf Course
• University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla Campus

Festivals and Events

• Velorio de Reyes - January
• Fiestas San Antonio - April
• Verbena de Corrales - May
• Festival Playero - June
• Festival de Atún - July
• Festival de Música - Juliy
• Fiestas Patronales San Carlos - October

Transportation

Rafael Hernandez International Airport

Education

Aguadilla has University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla ,UniTech ,InterAmerican University, La Reine ,Century College ,MBTI ,Ramey Job Corps to serve those who want an higher education.

Sports

The Aguadilla Divas of the Female Superior Volleyball League plays its home games in the Luis T. Diaz Coliseum in Downtown Aguadilla from January to March. WABA La Grande 850AM and WOLE-TV Telemundo 12 are both serve Aguadilla. Also in Aguadilla is Parque Colón and the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League (Double-A) plays its home games at Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium from February to May.

Notable "Aguadillaños"

• Agustín Stahl - Scientist
• Angelo Medina - Artistic mangagement, production, etc. (music business)
• Carmen Gómez Tejera (1890-1974) - Professor
• Carlos Delgado - Baseball player
• Luis A. Marquez - Baseball player
• Jerome Mincy - BSN Player
• José de Diego - Poet
• María Bibiana Benítez (1783-1875) - First female puertorrican poet
• Monserrate Deliz (1896-1969) - Professor
• Narciso Figueroa - Musician
• Pablo Fernández Badillo - Composer, novelist, and poet
• Plácido Acevedo - Composer
• Rafael Hernández - Composer and singer

Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. (2006, October 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:57, October 11, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aguadilla%2C_Puerto_Rico&oldid=80727622