Isla de Cabras Leprosarium The leprosy patients (called Hansen Disease) were confined in a leprosarium that was constructed during the end of the XIX century in Isla de Cabras (Goat's Island). On December 17, 1876, governor Segundo de la Portilla placed the first stone of the project. In 1883 the construction was finished. Courtesy of www.rootsweb.com Foundation: The foundation of Toa Baja (TO-ah BAH-hah) took place, according to historians, in 1747, and according to others, shortly after. Twenty years later, still it was classified as a small village, under the name of Shore of Toa Baja. In the shores of the Toa, today De La Plata river, Juan Ponce de Leon established the King's Farm in a place called Santa Elena, where Chief Aramaná had his yucayeque, and whose indians were used for manual labor. It has been indicated that the first experimental agricultural station of the island was established here, since it was here where the first vegetables from Europe were introduced and the locally cultivated vegetables were improved. The term "toa" means mother, and this word is the native name of the De La Plata river, born in the mountains of the region of Cayey and ends in the Atlantic.     During the XVI century this region attracted numerous settlers because of the wealth of its alluvium territories and the production of the so called fishing "corrals" located in the river, of pre-Columbian origin. Its first settlers were families from Canary Islands, by the names of Marrero, Salgado and Martinez.     In 1776 six great cattle ranches and twelve sugar cane properties and other farms existed, which produced sugar, molasses, rum (moon shine), corn, rice and coffee. Tobacco was harvest in the following century. But in spite of the increase of the production, the overflow of the river every year caused serious damage and the neighbors frequently could not pay the municipal taxes. In 1841 the crisis was such that a group of neighbors asked for authorization of the government to be transferred to Altos de Dorado, but most of them were against the transfer. The following year the municipality of Dorado was created with the wards, Espinosa, Higuillar, Maguayo and Río Lajas.     In 1749 a new church dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception and the saints Pedro, Pablo and Matías. It was built on a hill in front of the town. Shortly after it was transferred behind its original location in a higher location facing the river and its back towards Toa Baja.     In 1902 the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico approved the Law for the Consolidation of Certain Municipal Terms by which the municipality of Toa Baja was eliminated, and its wards and civil employees incorporated to the municipality of Bayamón. The Assembly countermanded this law in 1905 and its character of independent municipality with the wards that integrated it in 1902 were given back toToa Baja. Location: Located in the northern coast, it borders with Dorado and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, south with Toa Alta, west with Dorado and Cataño and east with Bayamón. Area: 62.4 sq km / 24.0 sq mi Population: 94,085 (census 2000) Population Density: 1,507.7 per sq km / 3,920.2 per sq mi People are known as: Toabajeños Toa Baja is also known as: Ciudad de los Valles del Toa (Valleys of the Toa City) Ciudad Bajo Aguas (Under Water City) Los Llaneros (The Valley People) Wards: Census 2000: Population by Wards - Toa Baja Habitants Candelaria 25,223 Media Luna 12,712 Palo Seco 325 Sabana Seca 55,103 Toa Baja Town 722 Total 94,085 Source: Census 2000 Political Division - Administrative: Senatorial District # 2 de Bayamón represented by Hon. Migdalia Padilla (PNP) y el Hon. Carmelo Ríos (PNP). Representative District # 10 represented by Hon. Betito Márquez García (PNP). Patron: San Pedro Apóstol Topography: It is located in the Northern Coastal Plains and in the karst zone. Its topography is made up mainly by wooded hills, typical of the karsts. Hydrography: Its bathed by the Plata, Cocal and Hondo rivers and the San Pedro bog in the Sabana Seca ward. Economy: Manufacturing (metal, plastic, concrete, textile, electrical and electronic machinery and rum) and agriculture (sugar cane, fruits and dairy cattle). Average Salary: n/a weekly (1998) Flag: The flag of Toa Alta was designed in 1980. Its colors are green and gold, with keys in gold and silver. The green stripe, represents the plains of the Toa; and the color gold, represents the sun that bathes our plains. The crossed keys, symbolize San Pedro Apostle, patron of the town of Toa Baja. They appear in similar form in the greater altar of the Parochial Church of Toa Baja, San Pedro Apostle.   Coat Of Arms: The waving stripe represents the Toa River, one of the first mentioned in the history of Puerto Rico, and in whose shores Juan Ponce de Leon tried to settle the first population of Puerto Rico.     The definition of the symbols: The keys, crossed in vane, symbolize San Pedro Apostle, patron of the town. In similar form they appear in the altar of the Parochial Church San Pedro Apostle, of Toa Baja. The F and the J, represent Don Fernando II of Aragón and V of Castile, and his daughter, Doña Juana, sovereign of Castile and Leon. The handfuls of yucca refer to one of the main crop of this area, and constitute a symbol of the Indians who cultivated it, and whose main food was casabe or bread of yucca. The crown is the traditional municipal standard whereupon is stamped to the shields of towns, villas and cities. The sugar cane stems refer to the cultutivation and industry, that represented the main source of wealth of Toa Baja; the wealth is represented by gold of the field of the shield. Toa Baja Public Schools. Name Level Telephone Address ALTINENCIA VALLE Elementary (787) 794-1460 PO Box 731 AMALIA LÓPEZ DE VILA Elementary (787) 784-2035 PO Box 50449 ANTONIA SÁEZ IRIZARRY Elementary (787) 780-5975 PO Box 2400 Suite 361 CARMEN BARROSO MORALES Elementary (787) 795-8885 PO Box 52032 DELIA DÁVILA DE CABÁN Elementary (787) 261-1340 5ta Calle Lago Las Curias DR. EFRAÍN SÁNCHEZ HIDALGO Elementary (787) 784-5570 PO Box 2477 ERNESTINA BRACERO Elementary (787) 784-5540 PO Box 233 ERNESTO JUAN FONFRÍAS Elementary (787) 780-1750 Carr. # 2, km 17.7 JOHN F. KENNEDY Elementary (787) 784-0370 PO Box 2477 JOSÉ NEVAREZ LÓPEZ Elementary (787) 870-5246 PO Box 2345 JOSÉ ROBLES OTERO Elementary (787) 794-3470 PO Box 2477 LORENCITA RAMÍREZ DE ARELLÁN Elementary (787) 784-4925 PO Box 52015 LUIS M. SANTIAGO Elementary (787) 794-1445 PO Box 2322 MARÍA J. CORREDOR RIVERA Elementary (787) 740-2225 PO Box 2477 BASILIO MILÁN HERNÁNDEZ Intermediate (787) 795-6570 PO Box 51515 JOSÉ NEVAREZ LANDRÓN Intermediate (787) 794-1465 PO Box 1321 MARÍA LIBERTAD GÓMEZ Intermediate (787) 784-0125 PO Box 2477 MARTÍN GARCÍA GIUSTI Intermediate (787) 251-2231 PO Box 2477 FRANCISCA DÁVILA SEMPRIT Second Unit (787) 784-3455 PO Box 2477 ADOLFINA IRIZARRY High School (787) 794-2018 PO Box 2477 DR. PEDRO ALBIZU CAMPOS High School (787) 784-4605 PO Box 51901 MARÍA TERESA PIÑEIRO High School (787) 784-4140 PO Box 495 Source: Departamento De Educación Hymn: By Luis M. Santiago Espléndido Toa Baja, jardín de mis amores, tú luces por doquiera, tu hermosura sin par. Son bellas y fragantes tus matizadas flores, que vierten en el aire su esencia virginal. Un sol esplendoroso alumbra tu llanura, risueña, portentosa por su fecundidad; pues luce eternamente su manto de verdura, primicias venturosas del clima tropical. Hermosa tus noches, perenne primavera, y de tu luna hermosa el pálido rielar, el Plata caudaloso, que besa tu ribera, parece una serpiente de plata o de cristal. Si en los dorados días de mi niñez dichosa, para colgar mi cuna, me brindaste un hogar, yo quiero que me guardes, para cavar mi fosa, un sitio en tus llanuras, bajo el sol tropical que van siempre unidos. Ruins Hacienda Santa Elena Events: Craft Festival - March Patron Celebrations - June Beach Festival - July Musical Band Festival - August Chirstmas Festivities - December Places To Visit: Cañuelo Fortress Goats Island Hermana Island Punta Salinas Beach Bacardí Rum RefineryTourist Complex Central Constancia (sugar mill) Nuestra Señora del Carmen Catholic Church San Pedro Apostle Catholic Church Santa Elena Hacienda Palo Seco Thermoelectrial Power Station Distinguished Citizens: Virgilio Dávila - Poet Ernesto Juan Fonfrías - Lawyer, novelist and poet. Manuel Padilla Dávila - Surveyor and poet. Luis M. Santiago - Profesor and author of Toa Baja's hymn. Toa Baja Mayors 1754 - Present Year Mayor Year Mayor 1754 Bernardino Aponte 1884-1885 Emiliano Díaz 1755 Francisco de Lara 1885-1887 Gerardo Puig 1777 Raimundo Martínez 1887 Juan Valadares 1780 José Raimundo Muñoz 1887-1888 Gerardo Fonalledas 1781 Fernando Antonio Silva 1888-1890 Arturo García Villanueva 1782 José Canales 1890 Joaquín Aldea Berenguer 1788 Tomás Villafane 1891 Manuel Vázquez Alayón 1822 Jacinto López Martínez 1892 Wenceslao Segarra 1824 Florencio de Areyzaga 1893 A. de Aheran 1826 José Ramírez 1893 Antonio González 1830 Luis Canales 1893-1894 Antonio Arrieta Zamora 1830 Luis Camacho 1894 Francisco Colón y Córdova 1849 Francisco D. de Vega 1894-1895 José Eduardo Geigel 1853 Arturo O'Neill 1895 Francisco Colón y Córdova 1853 Francisco D. de Vega 1895 Gerardo Cruz 1854 Francisco Jiménez 1895 Gerardo Puig y Mundo 1854 Francisco D. de Vega 1898 Juan B. Romero 1855-1859 Manuel Aguayo 1898 Francisco Salas 1860 J. Archea 1898 Juan B. Romero 1860 Manuel Aguayo 1899 Francisco Salas 1860-1867 Manuel Córdova Chavet 1900 José Melecio 1868 F. García 1900 Francisco Salas 1868 Juan Hernández Passalacqua 1901 Juan B. Romero 1870 Bruno de Pereda 1901 J. M. Báez 1872 Celedonio López Monede 1902 Juan B. Romero 1874 Miguel de Lara 1902 Francisco Salas 1874 Nicolás Oldaz 1918 Félix Escudero 1874 Zoilo Pastrana 1924 Blas C. Herrera 1876-1877 J. Gómez Jiménez 1928-1940 Basilio Milán 1879 J. Mazpuli 1944 Miguel Rosado 1879 Zoilo Pastrana 1948-1952 Ramón Rivera Cruz 1879 Jacinto González 1956-1960 Timoteo Salas Quintero 1880 J. Carpena 1960-1964 Amadeo Ortiz Santana 1880 Juan Vidal 1968-1972 Tomás Rijos Oquendo 1882 José G. Pastor 1972-1976 Ramón Ibáñez Ortega 1883 Antonio Sotomayor 1976-1984 Juan Hernández Ferrer 1883 Emiliano Díaz 2001-2005 Víctor Santiago Díaz 1883 José G. Pastor 2005- Present Aníbal Vega Borges 1884-1885 Emiliano Díaz     Source: Municipality of Toa Baja Mayor: Hon. Aníbal Vega Borges (PNP) P.O. Box 2359 Toa Baja, P.R. 95100 ( 787 ) 261-0202       2004 General Election Results Municipality of Toa Baja Party Candidate Votes Percent   ANIBAL VEGA BORGES 25,954 57.78% VICTOR SANTIAGO DIAZ 17,756 39.53% DARIO W. ORTIZ GONZALEZ 906 2.02% *OTHERS 303 0.67% Total 44,919   Breakdown of Others   Reported Voting Centers Participation Direct Nomination 24   Registered Voters 56,380 Blank 137   Votes 44,919 Null 142   Participation Percent 79.67% Reported Voting Centers: 171 out of 171 for 100.00%   Total Registered 56,380 Source: Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico