1952 Map of Santa Isabel

About this map

Sugarcane production and coastal transport define this southern Puerto Rican landscape, where the Ponce and Guayama railroad links inland agricultural estates to the Caribbean coast. The municipal center of Santa Isabel serves as a hub for the surrounding barrios, supported by the Estación Santa Isabel and the nearby Aeropuerto de Santa Isabel. The map documents a transition from traditional plantation life to modern industrialization, centered around the Central Cortada sugar mill and various agricultural colonies such as Colonia Hawaii and Colonia Bizarreta. Along the shoreline, fishing and maritime activity are evident at Playa Cortada and Playa Santa Isabel, while the offshore island of Cayo Berberia sits in the open waters. Named estates like Hacienda Florida and Hacienda Alomar illustrate the enduring presence of long-established landholdings in this fertile coastal plain.