1941 Map of Rio Grande

About this map

Agricultural colonies and coastal settlements define this northeast Puerto Rican shoreline as surveyed in the late 1930s. The landscape is characterized by the convergence of river systems like the Rio Espiritu Santo and Rio Herrera with the Atlantic Ocean, creating a network of tidal channels and lagoons such as the Ensenada Comezon. Sugarcane production is evident through numerous named agricultural estates, including Colonia Dolores, Colonia Carmelita, and Colonia Blasina, which are interspersed with residential hubs like Poblado Honduras and Poblado Mediania Alta. The town of Rio Grande serves as a primary inland anchor, while smaller sidings and points of interest such as Desvio Dolores and Desvio Carmelita suggest the logistical movements of the local sugar economy before mid-century modernization transformed the region.