San Juan de Santa Bárbara

San Juan de Santa Bárbara
District

San Juan de Santa Bárbara de Heredia's Patron Saint
San Juan de Santa Bárbara
Coordinates: CR 10°1′51″N 84°10′21″W / 10.03083°N 84.17250°W / 10.03083; -84.17250Coordinates: CR 10°1′51″N 84°10′21″W / 10.03083°N 84.17250°W / 10.03083; -84.17250
Country Costa RicaCosta Rica
Province Heredia Province
Canton Santa Bárbara
Area
 • Total 4.43 km2 (1.71 sq mi)
Elevation 1,045 m (3,428 ft)
Population (2009)
 • Total 6,396
 • Density 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Vecino de San Juan, San Juaneño
Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC-6)

San Juan de Santa Bárbara is one of the six districts that make up the canton of Santa Bárbara in Heredia, Costa Rica. The district consists of two major neighborhoods: San Juan Arriba (Upper San Juan), and San Juan Abajo (Lower San Juan).

History

Like the rest of the canton, before the Spanish settlers came, Santa Bárbara was originally occupied by the Huetares, an indigenous tribe. The Huetare King, Cacique Garabito, dominated the area.[1] When the Spanish arrived, they originally called the area Churruca or Surruco.[2] Heredia, Barva, and Alajuela, three neighboring cities, were populated and settled in the late 1700s. As trade increased between the three cities, the canton developed.[2]

In 1836, an Englishman named John Hale sold his land to residents of what is now San Juan.[3] The land was bought using profits from the sugarcane that was grown at the time.[3] On 7 December 1848, the fourth canton of Heredia was created, with San Juan as a founding district.[4]

In 1852, Horacio Morales helped build the first chapel in San Juan, although many parishioners still went to Santa Bárbara. By 1885, the district educated as many boys as girls, with schools for both.[2]

San Juan inaugurated the canton's first hydroelectric plant in 1914 along the Porrosatí River that separates the districts of Santa Bárbara and San Juan. During Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno second term in office, between 1924 and 1928, water delivery systems were installed in San Juan using water from the Potrerillos River.[4]

Economy

San Juan's main economic activity is agricultural production, particularly coffee.[2] In 1973, 1,074 kilograms of coffee were produced in San Juan. Because of a sawmill in the district, another important activity was lumber production.[2]

There are various commercial businesses in San Juan, including restaurants and corner stores.[5][6] There is a coffee processing facility in San Juan which serves many local farmers.[7] San Juan is locally known for a ceviche restaurant near its central plaza.[5]

Culture and education

San Juan was featured in an episode of Repretel's "Informe Once" (Eleven Report).[8] The episode described several cottage industries in the district, including an agricultural producer and an ice-cream maker, as well as a country house in the traditional Costa Rican adobe and cane style.[8]

There are two private schools in San Juan: Colegio Bilingüe Nueva Esperanza (New Hope Bilingual High School), where 590 students attended in 2009, and Puente Verde (Green Bridge).[9] Colegio Bilingüe Nueva Esperanza, founded in 1993,[10] was the first private technical school in the country, meaning students received specialized in computer skills.[11][12] The main public elementary school is Tranquilino Saenz Rojas. Students from San Juan usually attend Colegio Santa Bárbara High School,[13] but may also go to the high schools in Alajuela. In 2012, resident Noelia Villalobos Solórzano received the Panamanian Rubén Darío Prize for her work in education.[14]

Administration

San Juan is served by the police force of Heredia.[15] An EBAIS, Equipo Básico de Atención Integral en Salud (Basic Medical Care Center), is located in San Juan, serving residents and non-residents of the district.[5] In addition, there is a private nursing home located in the district.[9]

The canton has investigated the possibility of making microbusiness outreach to the residents of San Juan, especially toward women and artisans.[9] The canton's first priority, however, is to build a police station within the district.[9]

Geography

San Juan is 5.05 square kilometers at an altitude of 1,045 meters, making it the lowest district of the canton. It is directly south of the municipality of Santa Bárbara de Heredia, divided into two main neighborhoods: San Juan Arriba (Upper San Juan), and San Juan Abajo (Lower San Juan). In addition, there are other neighborhoods: Cinco Esquinas (Five Points), Villa Margarita, Tierra Santa (Holy Land), Calle Zapote (Zapote Street), and several developments.[9] Highways 123 and 119 pass through San Juan.[9][16]

The Zanjón River, Quebrada la Claudia, and Porrosatí River run through San Juan.[2] During the rainy season, San Juan is subject to flooding, as was the case in May 2014 when more than 100 houses were affected by clogged drainage systems.[17] Like much of Costa Rica, San Juan is part of a high-risk zone, according to the Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos (National Risk Prevention Commission).[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Reseña Histórica del Cantón". Municipalidad de Santa Bárbara (in Spanish). 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Centenario del cantón Santa Bárbara de Heredia (in Spanish). 1982.
  3. 1 2 "Reseña Histórica del Cantón". Municipalidad de Santa Bárbara (in Spanish). 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Reseña Histórica del Cantón". Municipalidad de Santa Bárbara (in Spanish). 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Santa Bárbara Digital: Directorio Comercial : Santa Barbara de Heredia, Retrieved: May 20, 2014". External link in |title= (help);
  6. ↑ Láscarez, Carlos (9 October 2012). "Tenían a menor como esclava". Al Dia (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Barquero, Marvin. "Amenazan con liquidar La Meseta". La Nacion (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. 1 2 De Paseo por San Juan de Santa Barbara [Visiting San Juan de Santa Barbara] (Analog VHF) (in Spanish). San Jose: Repretel, Canal 11. 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Plan de Desarrollo Humano Local 2010-2020, Cantón Santa Bárbara (in Spanish). Proyecto de Fortalecimiento Municipal y Descentralización. August 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historia de Nueva Esperanza" (School website) (in Spanish). Centro Eductativo Bilingüe Nueva Esperanza. 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Mena, Fabio (6 February 2014). "Primer colegio técnico privado del país inicia lecciones en Heredia". Costa Rica Hoy (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  12. ↑ Jiménez Badilla, Eillyn (7 February 2014). "Tiquicia estrena "cole" técnico privado". Diario Extra (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Ministerio de Educación Pública: Santa Bárbara | Ministerio de Educación Pública, accessdate: 27 May 2014
  14. ↑ Ramirez, K. (29 August 2012). "Estudiante de CEU de Heredia recibirá Premio Rubén Darío". Acontecer Digital (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  15. ↑ Láscarez S., Carlos (16 May 2014). "Balacera dentro de vivienda deja dos muertos en San Juan de Santa Bárbara de Heredia". La Nacion (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "Paso regulado en la rutas 123 y 5 de Heredia". Costa Rica Hoy (in Spanish) (San Jose). 19 July 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  17. ↑ Rojas, Pablo (9 May 2014). "Aguaceros y alcantarillas llenas de basura propiciaron daños en decenas de viviendas". Costa Rica Hoy (in Spanish) (San Jose). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "AMENAZAS NATURALES CANTON DE SANTA BARBARA". Government report (in Spanish). Alajuela, Costa Rica: La Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
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