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1938 Map of Guanica

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Guanica
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Industrial activity and coastal terrain define the southwestern Puerto Rican landscape in the years following the 1935 survey. The sugar industry is prominent, anchored by the Central Guanica refinery near the settlement of Ensenada, which features an intricate rail network including the Linea de Guanica and Central Transmisión. These rail lines supported the heavy logistics of the era, connecting the mills to the protected waters of the Bahia de Guanica.

Further east, the town of Guánica sits at the entrance to the bay, shadowed by the heights of Cerro Caprón. The survey captures a balance between industrial development and preservation, noting the Bosque Insular de Guanica Yauco y Guayanilla and the northern Laguna de Guanica. Along the shoreline, small coastal features like Cueva de la Julia and Frontón de la Brea mark the transition from the arid scrubland to the Mar Caribe.