Luquillo Beach Foundation: Luquillo (loo-KEE-yo) was founded in 1797. Spaniards who left the Hato de Caparra entered thru the mountain range arriving at the shores of a river of fresh and crystal clear water where they settled. Later the Spanish leader of the expedition, don Cristóbal Guzmán, built a village and a chapel under the patronage of San Juan Obrero.     Perhaps the name of this municipality refers, as some suggest, to Lucuo or Loukuo, a Taíno divinity. More frequently, reference is made to Yukiyú or Yocajú, a Taíno beneficial divinity that lived in the Luquillo mountains. It must be mentioned that in the first years of sixteenth century Chief Loquillo lived in this region. His name is possibly an hispanicized word. He maintained a long guerrilla war against the Spaniards that were sheltered in the mountains.     In 1898 all the municipality was eliminated and the territory divided in the following way: the Juan Martín, Pitajaya and Sabana wards were added to Fajardo and the Hato Viejo, Mameyes 1 and Mata de Plátano wards added to Río Grande.     In 1914, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico approved a law by which the municipality of Luquillo was reorganized again, with the same wards it had in 1897 with the exception of the Hato Viejo ward that disappeared in 1910 and the Mameyes II ward that became part of Río Grande. Location: Located in the northeast. It is bordered by: the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Fajardo to the south and east, and Río Grande to the west. Area: 67.6 sq km / 26.0 sq mi Population: 19,817 (census 2000) Population Density: 283.1 per sq km / 762.1 per sq mi People are known as: Luquillenses Luquillo is also known as: Capital del Sol (Sun Capital) La Riviera de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico's Riviera) Los Come Cocos (Coconut Eaters) Wards: Census 2000: Population by Wards - Luquillo Habitants Juan Martín 966 Luquillo Town 1,353 Mameyes I 2,383 Mata de Plátano 8,318 Pitahaya 4,505 Sabana 2,292 Total 19,817 Source: Census 2000 Political Division - Administrative: Senatorial District # 8 Carolina represented by Hon. Lornna Soto (PNP) and Hon. Héctor Martínez (PNP). Representative District # 36 represented by Hon. Johnny Méndez (PNP) . Patron: San José San José Parish Apartado 493 Luquillo, Puerto Rico 00773-0493 (787) 889-2590 Topography: Luquillo contains some spurs of the Luquillo Mountain range in the south and southeast region of its territory, in the Pitahaya and Sabana wards. In the Sabana ward the elevations reach to approximately 500 meters (1,640 feet). In the northeastern region, close to the coast, between the borders of the Juan Martín ward of Luquillo and the Quebrada Fajardo ward of Fajardo, the Barros and Zalduondo hills are not higher than 227 meters (748 feet). Except for the elevations mentioned, most of the territory is level. Hydrography: Luquillo has the follwing rivers: the Mameyes which divides it from Río Grande; the Savannah and its affluents Pitahaya, Cristal and Camándulas; the Juan Martín, which has as tributaries several gorges; and by the Mata de Plátano gorge. The Savannah and the Juan Martín rivers rise in Luquillo. They are 12.6 and 5.7 kilometers (7.6 and 3.4 miles) long, respectively. The Mameyes river is born in the Grande River. Economy: Manufacturing, tourism, cattle and agriculture. Average Salary: $285.17 weekly (1998) Flag: It consists of three horizontal stripes, the blue top and green bottom are double of width of the yellow central stripe. Blue makes reference to the sky and the sea; yellow represents the sand of its beaches and green represents the vegetation of the mountains. In the center stripe resides the Coat Of Arms of the town superimposed and surrounded by two palm tree leaves crossed at the bottom. Coat Of Arms: In a gold background a centered mountain range with three green mountains is accompanied at the bottom by a bay with blue and silver waves; the top portion of the shield in blue, has three iris branches. Above the shield resides a three tower gold crown. Surrounding the shield by its flanks are two palms trees leaves crossed at the bottom.     The mountains represent the Luquillo Mountain range from which the town derives its name. The bay placed in the gold field represents the Luquillo beach with a mountain range as its background. The iris symbolize Patriarch Saint Joseph, the town's patron. The crown is distinctive of the all cities, villas, towns and municipalities and stands for autonomy, unity and common defense. The palm tree leaves that surround the shield constitute another reference to the beach of Luquillo, and beautiful ornamentation. Public Schools sorted by educational levels. Updated: 08/07/2003 Fajardo Region Luquillo District Name Level Telephone Address Elementary CAMILO VALLES MATIENZO K-6 (787) 889-1045 PO Box 1502, P.R. 00773-0655 CAROLINA G. DE VEVE K-6 (787) 889-6167 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 FORTUNA PLAYA K-6 (787) 889-3600 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 MATA DE PLÁTANO PK-6 (787) 889-3744 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 PABLO SUÁREZ ORTÍZ K-6 (787) 889-5633 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 PITAHAYA K-6 (787) 889-0473 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 ROSENDO MATIENZO CINTRÓN K-6 (787) 889-2180 PO Box 1006, P.R. 00773-0000 Intermediate RAFAEL N. COCA 7-9 (787) 889-3243 PO Box 1200, P.R. 00773-0000 Secondary SU SABANA (SU ALEJANDRINA RÍOS) K-9 (787) 889-3750 PO Box 485, P.R. 00773-0655 High School SUPERIOR ISIDRO A. SÁNCHEZ 10-12 (787) 889-4333 PO Box 1588, P.R. 00773-0000 Source: Departamento De Educación Hymn: By don Carmelo Alvira Guerra Junto a las costas del mar Atlántico cerca del Yunque, en un rincón, entre palmeras, muy arrogante, se fue formado una población. Llaman Luquillo de mis amores al pueblecito que así creció; chozas de pajas de pescadores con el progreso se transformó. Sus bellas playas y sus mujeres, su fe cristiana y su tradición; Ilenan el alma, nos traen placeres recuerdos gratos del corazón. Lindos paisajes, campos floridos, nítido el cielo a la luz del sol forman del pueblo sus coloridos, y el alma Ilenan con su arrebol. Cuando más lejos nos encontramos, en la alegría o en el dolor; Luquillo mío siempre te amamos y te queremos con gran amor. Events: Patron Saint Celebrations - March Coconut Festival - September Typical Dish Festival - December Places To Visit: Ocean View Boulevard La Fortuna Hacienda Chief Loquillo Monument La Bandera Beach La Monserrate Beach Las Pailas Beach La Pared Beach Luquillo Beach Mameyes Beach Distinguished Citizens: Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón (1855- 1913) - Lawyer and legislator   (biography) Tomás Batista (1935- ) - Sculptor   (biography) Luquillo Mayors 1914 - Present Year Mayor Year Mayor 1914 Julio Veve Román & José Camacho (Interino) 1960-1968 Pablo Suárez 1920-1928 Augusto Veve Román & Inocente Vázquez (Interino) 1968-1972 Juan Bernabé Guzmán 1928-1932 Luis Lugo Matta 1972-1976 Alejandrina Ríos de Figueroa 1932-1940 Alejo Figueroa 1976-1984 Juan Bernabé Guzmán 1940-1944 Luis Lugo Matta, Pelayo Rexach (interino) & Salvador Bernabé (interino) 1984-1988 Ovidio Ríos Figueroa 1944-1952 Pablo Suárez 1988-2001 Edna J. Figueroa Gómez 1952-1956 Nicolás Guzmán & Tomás Rodríguez Díaz (Interino) 2001-Presente José M. González Ortíz 1956-1960 Tomás Rodríguez Díaz & Rafael O'Neill (Interino)     Source: Municipality of Luquillo Mayor: Hon. José "Nelo" González (PNP) P.O. Box 1012 Luquillo, P.R. 00773 (787) 889- 2851       2004 General Election Results Municipality of Luquillo Party Candidate Votes Percent   JOSE 'NELO' GONZALEZ ORTIZ 5,964 58.38% WILFREDO RIOS (FREDDY) 3,918 38.35% JOSE GONZALEZ 191 1.87% *OTROS 143 1.40% Total 10,216   Breakdown of Others   Reported Voting Centers Participation Direct Nomination 35   Registered Voters 13,401 Blank 67   Votes 10,216 Null 41   Participation Percent 76.23% Reported Voting Centers: 47 out of 47 for 100.00%   Total Registered 13,401 Source: Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico