Dorado (do-RAH-do) is a small tourist town in the northern coast of Puerto Rico, 15 miles (24 km) west of San Juan and is located in the northern region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Toa Alta, east of Vega Alta, and west of Toa Baja. Dorado is spread over five barrios and Dorado Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The town is probably best known as a tourist destination with world-class golf courses, hotels, and a beautiful municipal beach. It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In the early 1900s the Rockefeller family purchased huge plots of land in the northwest region of the municipality of Dorado where they built a huge private vacation compound. Laurance Rockefeller would later use this land to create Dorado Beach Hotel and Golf Club, which later became the Dorado Beach Hyatt Hotel and Casino and is now the Hyatt Hacienda Del Mar. Dorado Beach Hotel and Cerromar both plan to reopen in 2010. The Dorado Airport was operated from 1942 to 1996. The airport began as a military landing strip, then became a civilian airport in the 1960s with Caribair and Dorado Wings flights operating until 1980 and 1982 respectively. The airport operated as a private landing strip throughout the 1980s and then fell into disrepair. In 1996, the airport was rezoned as residential land and redeveloped. Dorado has upscale neighborhoods and a small downtown area with a plaza (Spanish town square), as other Puerto Rican municipalities. The town's patron saint is Anthony of Padua, and patron saint celebrations are held at the plaza every year on June 13. Dorado has been voted Puerto Rico's cleanest town several times throughout its history. HistoryIn 1831, Dorado existed as a barrio (or ward) of the town of Toa Baja. Over several years, the ward grew and established its own town center called the "new pueblo" to differentiate itself from Toa Baja, which became known as the "old pueblo." Over several years, the wards that currently make up Dorado grew and the people of the "new pueblo" wanted to separate themselves from Toa Baja. On November 22, 1842, Jacinto López Martínez, the Sergeant at Arms for the ward of Dorado, petitioned the Spanish Governor of Puerto Rico, Santiago Méndez Vigo, to establish the municipality of Dorado. The governor authorized the founding of the town pending the construction of public works, including an administrative building and a church near the town square. In 1848, the construction of the public works were completed and López Martínez became the first mayor of Dorado. In the beginning of the 20th century, after the U.S. Invasion, Dorado was again appended to Toa Baja, but that changed again after a few decades. ClimateDorado's climate is very hot in the summer months and cool in the winter. Temperatures range around 50 °F (10 °C) to 80 °F (27 °C) in the winter and 75 °F (24 °C) to 95 °F (35 °C) in the summer. Housing developmentsIn recent years, Dorado has been known for its development of upscale neighborhoods. Several known politicians and artists (i.e. Ricky Martin, Carlos Romero Barceló) live or own properties in the city. CultureTourismDorado has long been known as a golf haven. Its tourist industry includes the Dorado Beach Resort, the Hyatt Hacienda del Mar, and a recently opened Embassy Suites in the Dorado Del Mar neighborhood. Landmarks and places of interestSome of the places to visit in Dorado are located downtown. For example, the Museum Casa del Rey is the house built in most towns controlled by Spain during their colonization, which was intended for the King and Queen to stay if they visited. The museum includes several artifacts from the era. There's also the Distinguished Doradeños Plaza, and the Juan Boria Theater. The last one was recently reopened after a long period of restoration. Some of the most visited beaches in Dorado are Cerro Gordo and Sardinera. Kikita and El Unico are other beaches frequented by surfers. The Ojo del Buey Park is a park located at the base level of the La Plata River. The name comes from a rock formation that has the shape of an ox. Dorado also has a church called the Sanctuary of Christ of the Reconciliation, that has the third largest statue of Jesus Christ in the Caribbean, inside its temple. Festivals and eventsDorado's Fiestas Patronales are held in June. Other traditional festivals held at the city are the Cocolía Festival and the La Plata Festival. SportsDorado doesn't have any professional sports team, but it's still one of the main places in the island to play golf or tennis. EconomyBusinessCommerce Tourism IndustrialDorado is the site of several industries dedicated to the manufacturing of clothing and medical equipment, among others. Companies like Boston Scientific,Pfizer,Heraeus, and Biovail are among some of the ones located in the city. Transportation Puerto Rico Highway 22 provides access to Dorado from the nearby city of Mayaguez, or from San Juan. Road 165 also provides access from Cataño and Bayamón bordering the shore to the Atlantic Ocean. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the town from San Juan. Like most other towns in the island, it counts with a public transportation system consisting of public cars. Taxis are also available around the town. There's also a public trolley system around town and a shuttle service for handicapped people. EducationDorado counts with several public and private schools distributed through several regions. Including TASIS, Caribbean Christian Academy of Dorado and Dorado del Mar Academy. Public education is handled by the State Department of Education.
- Dorado Academy
- TASIS Dorado
- Jose S. Alegria High School
- Pedro Lopez Canino Elementary and Middle School
- Luis Muñoz Marin Elementary School
- Ricardo Arroyo Middle School
- Marcelino Canino Canino - Middle School
- Jacinto Lopez Martinez - Elementary School and first school building to be founded in Dorado. It is over a hundred years old and still in use and one of the biggest schools.
- Luisa Valderrama Martinez - Elementary School
- The Jane Stern Dorado Community Library - Founded in 1974 is Puerto Rico's firt public bilingual library. Recently honored with a 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.
Today
EleDorado is more vibrant than ever! There is always something exciting to see. Wether it is going to the beach, enjoying an outdoor day playing golf, attending a community class, or simply hanging out and enjoying Dorado's unique culture. It is the people that make Dorado special. This is a place to work, live and call home.
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