1946 Map of Punta Cuchara

About this map

Hacienda Matilde and the coastal outskirts of Playa de Ponce define this 1940s landscape along the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The American Railroad parallels the shoreline, connecting the industrial and agricultural zones between Encarnación and the harbor. Just inland from the lighthouse at Faro on Cayo Cardona, the map shows the transition from the hills of Canas down to the sea, where the U S Mil Res sits near the mouth of the Río Matilde. This survey provides a look at the interplay between land and water before major late-century modernization, detailing the numerous cays such as Cayo Ratones and Cayo Caribe that dot the Bahía de Tallaboa. Notable local identifiers like the W P A B radio site and the salt marshes of Laguna de las Salinas offer specific points of interest for historical research.