Gurabo's history dates as far back as the 17th century, when Gurabo was actually part of Caguas. Then, the area was known as Burabo. By 1700, transportation, medical and economic trouble were crippling the population of the Burabo area; traveling to Caguas' center for business and medical help was not easy and took hours. This led to many of Burabos citizens to seek for the area to gain autonomy. It would be long, however, before Gurabo was separated from Caguas. The separation movement was brought forward by an 1812 meeting of all 168 family leaders in Gurabo, who decided to have Luis del Carmen Echevarría lead them in their quest for autonomic independence, based on the large number of residents in Burabo. In 1815, Gurabo became a municipality. In 1822, the first Catholic church in town was erected. In 1903, the first Baptist church opened its doors in Gurabo town. Gurabo is also known as "La Ciudad de las Escaleras", or "city of the stairs". Located in the town center, the stairs are about twenty two floors high, and they are painted in bright colors. They cross an important business area of Gurabo. Gurabo's mayor is Rosachely Rivera Santana.
The significant amount of rainfall from Hurricane Maria triggered numerous landslides in Gurabo on September 20, 2017.
Geography
Gurabo is located on the east side of Puerto Rico.
Bodies of water
Located in Gurabo are a number of rivers, streams, and unnamed creeks. Rio Gurabo is in Gurabo and a portion of the Río Grande de Loíza runs through Gurabo. In 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced work would be done on Gurabo river.
Barrios
Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Gurabo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo", located near the center of the municipality.
Celada
Gurabo barrio-pueblo
Hato Nuevo
Jaguar
Jaguas
Mamey
Masa
Navarro
Quebrada Infierno
Rincón
Sectors
Barrios in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores. The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.
Special Communities
Of the 742 places on the list of Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Gurabo: El Cerro, Estancias de Hato Nuevo, and Villa Alegre.
Economy
Agriculture
Dairy Farms
Industry
Manufacturing
Tourism
Landmarks and places of interest
Some landmarks and places of interest in Gurabo include:
Gurabo celebrates its patron saint festival in March. The Fiestas Patronales de San Jose is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment. Other festivals and events celebrated in Gurabo include:
El Festival del Jodío, which roughly translates to the "Festival of the person who is down on their luck". The seventh annual fair was held in May, 2017. With the assistance of a local bank, funds are collected to help a person in the community with severe medical needs.
With eleven stripes, six green and five yellow, alternated, the yellow with the superior edge indented forming a stairway.
Coat of arms
In a green field resides a widened gold patriarchal cross. Below the bottom arm are two shields in silver. The one on the left has a fleur de lis and the one on the right three lilies with stems in a natural way. Three towers in gold crown the shield.
Education
Turabo University
Puerto Rico Criminal Justice College- Gurabo campus
