1938 Map of Cabo Rojo

About this map

The rocky limestone cliffs of Cabo Rojo anchor the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico, overlooking the convergence of the Caribbean Sea and the local bays. Surveyed in 1935 under Commissioner Jose E. Colom, this coastal landscape is defined by the sweeping arcs of Bahia Salinas (Salinas Bay) and Bahia Sucia (Sucia Bay). The interior terrain transitions from the rugged Peñones de Melones hills down to the settlement of Las Palmas. Evidence of local community life is centered at the Escuela Sebastian Pabon Alvarado, while the shoreline is marked by numerous distinct points such as Pta Aguila and Pta Pitahaya. The topography reveals a sparsely populated but geographically dramatic maritime environment before mid-century development altered the coastal access and salt flats of the region.