Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Toa Baja is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico. It is found along the northern coast. Toa Baja lies north of Toa Alta and Bayamón, east of Dorado, and west of Cataño.

The town has five barrios. Toa Baja Pueblo is the downtown area and administrative center.

Toa Baja is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Combined Statistical Area. It is about twenty-five minutes away from San Juan by car. It is roughly two hours from Ponce when there is no heavy traffic. This makes it a convenient place to live while being close to bigger cities.

History

The area that is now Toa Baja was home to the Taíno people, led by Aramana and Majagua. When Spain arrived in Puerto Rico, settlers came around 1511 and learned from the Taíno how to grow food. Some families came from the Canary Islands.

The town became official in 1745, and a church was built in 1749.

Sometimes rivers flooded the area. In 2017, Hurricane Maria made the La Plata River rise, and buildings were damaged.

Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory after the Spanish–American War in 1898. In 1899, the first U.S. census counted people in Toa Baja. Later, Toa Baja joined with another town but became independent again in 1905. By 2010, Toa Baja had grown to one of the ten most populous towns in Puerto Rico.

In 2018, work began on a big project to help control flooding from the Río de la Plata river.

Geography

Toa Baja is on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, in an area called the Northern Karst. It covers 24.0 miles² (62.4 km²). The land is mostly flat with some higher areas toward the south.

The northern part of Toa Baja has mangroves and marshes. The southern part has a special landscape called karst. Many rivers flow through the area, and flooding can happen easily. People build their homes a little higher to help protect against flood water.

Water features

There are three main rivers in Toa Baja: Río de la Plata, Río Cocal, and Río Hondo. Río de la Plata is the longest river on the island and runs through the eastern part of Toa Baja. Río Cocal separates Toa Baja from the town of Dorado. Boca Vieja Bay is a bay in Toa Baja.

Barrios

Toa Baja, like other towns in Puerto Rico, is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main buildings, like the town hall and church, are in a barrio called "el pueblo". The barrios of Toa Baja are:

1. Candelaria
2. Media Luna
3. Palo Seco
4. Sabana Seca
5. Toa Baja barrio-pueblo

Although not counted as a barrio, Levittown is the most populated community in Toa Baja.

Sectors

Barrios are divided into even smaller areas called sectores (sectors in English). These sectors can have different names.

Special Communities

Some communities in Toa Baja face challenges. In 2014, several areas were listed as special communities.

Demographics

Toa Baja had 75,293 people in 2020. This is fewer people than in 2010, when there were 89,609. In 2000, the population was even larger at 94,085. The number of people in Toa Baja grew slowly over time, starting from just 4,030 in 1899.

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

Toa Baja has 22 beautiful beaches for visitors to enjoy. Some of the main attractions in Toa Baja are:

• Cañuelo Fortress
• Central Constancia (an old sugar mill)
• Isla de Cabras
• Hacienda Santa Elena
• Hermana Island
• Nuestra Señora del Carmen Church
• Palo Seco Thermoelectrical Power Station
• Punta Salinas Beach
• San Pedro Apostle Church
• Coliseo Antonio R. Barceló

Culture

Festivals and events

Toa Baja has many lively celebrations. In June, the town has a big festival called the Fiestas Patronales de San Pedro Apostol to honor Saint Peter. This event has parades, games, crafts, fun rides, food, and music.

Other special times include the Fiestas de la Santa Cruz in May, lasting nine nights. In October, there is the Festival de la Zafra with traditional music styles like bomba and plena. There are also celebrations in March, July, August, and December, including a Christmas Festival.

Sports

Toa Baja does not have teams in the main men’s sports leagues, but it has a women’s volleyball team called the Llaneras de Toa Baja in the Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino.

The town hosts two baseball tournaments each year: the Pee Wee Reese World Series for players aged 12 and under, and the Willie Mays World Series for players aged 10 and under. A local team, the Llaneros de Levittown, plays in the Pee Wee Reese category of baseball.

Economy

Toa Baja's economy used to depend on farming, especially sugar cane and cattle. Farms like Santa Elena and Central Constancia helped the town grow. In the 1700s, fishing also became important. Cattle farms made a lot of milk, and small fruits are still important today.

In the 1950s, making things like metal, plastic, and textiles became more important. Today, factories make products such as machinery and rum, and industry helps the town grow.

Government

Main article: Mayoralty in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, each town has a mayor. The mayor is chosen by voters every four years. The mayor of Toa Baja is Bernardo "Betito" Márquez García. He is from the New Progressive Party. He became mayor after winning the election in 2016.

Toa Baja is part of Puerto Rico's Senatorial district II. This district has two senators. Migdalia Padilla and Carmelo Ríos Santiago have been senators for this area since 2005.

Symbols

The town of Toa Baja has an official flag and coat of arms.

Flag

Toa Baja's flag has two vertical bands. The left side is green for the plains of the Toa River (now called La Plata). The right side is gold for the sun. On the green band are two keys, one gold and one silver, crossed over each other. These keys represent Apostle Saint Peter, the town's patron saint.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms also shows a green stripe for the Toa River. It includes the same two crossed keys for Saint Peter, the town's patron saint. The letters "F" and "J" stand for Ferdinand II of Aragon and V of Castile, and his daughter, Joanna of Castile, sovereign of Castile and León.

The gold areas above and below the green stripe show the town's wealth. There are also pictures of yucca, an important crop grown by the Taínos. Two sugar cane stems surround the shield, showing that sugar cane was important to Toa Baja's history and economy.

Transportation

Toa Baja is about 25 minutes away from San Juan by car, but it can take longer during busy times. The main roads are PR-22 and PR-165.

There is a new bus system called Metro Urbano. It runs along the José de Diego Expressway (PR-22) in special lanes. It goes from Candelaria in Toa Baja to the Bayamón Station for the Tren Urbano metro system.

There are 29 bridges in Toa Baja.

Notable people

Toa Baja has been home to some well-known individuals. Susana Centeno was a dedicated nurse. Edwin Rosario was a famous boxer who won world championships four times. Madison Anderson represented Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe contest in 2019.