1945 Map of Rio Descalabrado

About this map

Agricultural development and rural settlements define this mid-1940s landscape, where the Carretera Central bisects a terrain of steep ridges and fertile valleys. The southern coastal plain is dominated by sugar estates and family landholdings, including Hacienda Miranda, Hacienda Amelia, and Hacienda Ursula, which are connected by irrigation systems like the Canal de Juana Diaz. This era shows a transition from traditional agrarian life to increased government presence, evidenced by the U. S. Military Reservation and the Escuela Segunda Unidad de Santa Catalina. Along the riverbanks of the Rio Descalabrado and Rio Coamo, small hubs like Poblado Rio Cañas Arriba and Poblado Magueyes represent the primary residential clusters before modern urban expansion reached this sector of the island.