1941 Map of San Juan

About this map

Morro Castle and La Fortaleza anchor the historic defensive posture of this Caribbean port, as seen in this 1941 preliminary survey. The urban expansion of the era is evident in the transition from the old walled city toward developing neighborhoods like Hato Rey and the Barriada Eleanor Roosevelt. To the south, the Universidad de Puerto Rico stands as a focal point of the Municipio de Rio Piedras, while specialized institutions like the Penitenciaria Insular and Sanatorio Insular appear in the outlying terrain. The map captures a critical period of infrastructure growth, showing the intricate network of canals and waterways such as the Caño de San Antonio and Caño Martin Peña that facilitated transport before modern dredging and development significantly altered the shoreline and wetlands surrounding the Laguna San Jose.