1942 Map of Barceloneta

About this map

The Central Plazuela and Central Monserrate sugar mills anchor this 1940s landscape, illustrating the industrial backbone of the northern coast during the height of the sugar era. The American Railroad of Puerto Rico and specialized spurs like the Monserrate Central railroad weave through the terrain, connecting the cane fields to the mills and the coastal ports. The Rio Grande de Manati snakes through the eastern section, creating a fertile alluvial plain punctuated by the settlement of Barceloneta. Along the Atlantic shore, points such as Pta Palmas Altas and Pta Boquilla frame a coastline shaped by the massive Caño Tiburones wetlands and smaller estuaries like Caño Matos. The map also captures several smaller community clusters including San Luis, La Aldea, and the coastal village of La Boca, providing a record of local settlement patterns before the mid-century transition to more urbanized layouts.