It lies south of the Atlantic Ocean north of Utuado east of Hatillo and west of Barceloneta and Florida. GeographyĪrecibo is located in the Northern Coastal Plain region of Puerto Rico, extending inland into the Karst region. In 1982, it was promoted to city status, though it continued to be affectionately by its previous nickname. These include Manati, Barceloneta, Florida, Utuado, Jayuya, Hatillo, Camuy, Quebradillas and Isabela. Over time, large part of its territory became separate municipalities. In 1850 it was awarded the "Muy Leal" (very loyal). In 1778, Arecibo, by royal decree, was awarded the "Villa" status, though it was not integrated as such until 1802. The Spanish defenders suffered only one death and three wounded soldiers. Correa ambushed his forces, killing 22 British seamen and driving them off.
Commanding two British Navy ships and 40 men, Whetstone tried to take control of the city. On August 5, 1702, Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa, a member of the Spanish Army, successfully defended Arecibo from a British Navy invasion led by rear-admiral William Whetstone. This gave the city its nickname "La Villa del Capitan Correa".įor some time the island was competed for by other European powers. Arecibo was officially founded as a city by the Spanish crown on May 1, 1616, under the governorship of Captain Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra, when the King of Spain granted the land (and the Taino living there) to Lope Conchillos. It was their third settlement on the island, after Caparra (which later became San Juan), and San German. Spanish colonists settled Arecibo in 1556, which they named for the cacique. When the Spanish arrived, they found the area occupied by the indigenous Taíno, led by Xamaica Arasibo, Cacique (chief) of the yucayeque (town) then named Abacoa.