Vega Baja, Puerto Rico: History
Evidence of indigenous settlement in Vega Baja date to as far as 2580 BCE. At the time of the Spanish arrival to Puerto Rico during the 16th century, local tribes in the area were led by Sebuco, a cacique or Taíno chief of the region after whom the Cibuco River is named. These small tribes of Taínos were known to settle in the vicinity of the rivers, particularly the Indio and Cibuco River, which although prone to seasonal floods, benefit the agricultural activities of the inhabitants. Taino rock carvings have been found on some of the exposed reefs in the vicinity of the Cibuco River. Among these carvings is one depicting a face and others shaped as fish. They are an indication that these reefs were frequented for spear fishing and perhaps other day-to-day activities. Other places like Carmelita, Maisabel, Cueva Maldita and Paso del Indio are known as archaeological sites where the aborigines established their communities.
Both Vega Baja and neighboring Vega Alta trace their origins to La Vega (also documented as Las Vegas) a short-lived town which gained administrative independence from Manatí in 1760. La Vega was dissolved in 1775, marking the municipal independence of the towns of Vega Alta and Vega Baja, which were former barrios of this town. The establishment of Vega Baja was officially recognized by the Spanish government in October 7, 1776, the feast day of the Virgin of the Rosary. Vega Baja was originally known as Vega-baxa del Naranjal de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Vega Baja of the Orange Grove of Our Lady of the Rosary).
Vega Baja grew as a regional agricultural center in the 19th century, with its numerous rich crops, particularly orange crops, being described by Spanish documents in 1813. The area was the setting for several slave revolts, particularly in 1848. Central San Vicente, the first modern sugarcane refinery in Puerto Rico, was established in Vega Baja in 1873 by Leonardo Igaravidez. It remained operational until 1967. …