Altamira, Puerto Plata

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Altamira
native_name =
pushpin_

mapsize =200px
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Dominican Republic
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Puerto Plata
leader_title =
leader_name =
established_title =
established_date = 1889
area_total_km2 =

|250px
area_footnotes =
population_as_of = 2008
population_total =52,398
population_density_km2 =
timezone =
utc_offset =
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd=19 |latm=40 |lats=0 |latNS=N
longd=70|longm= 50|longs=0 |longEW=W
elevation_m =
area_code = 809, 829
website = http://www.mialtamira.com/

Altamira is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic. Was high to the category of Municipality by disposition of the President Ulysses Heureaux October 29 1889, by means of the Decree Not. 9793. Due to that in this day its formation is finalized, is of the dates but important in our community. With relation to the name there are two versions, the first one according to historic data, obeys to that in the epoch of the discovery when Christopher Columbus displaced himself toward the Valley of the Cibao, since the height of the mountains of this municipality he exclaimed: "Of the high thing I look at", another version counts that such designation itself due to the geographical resemblance of this Municipality with the caves Altamiranas of Spain. In principle, this community functioned as an estate where the adjoining populations were transferred to form their conucos where the main product that sowed was the tobacco, for which manufactured ranches (for that reason some towns still call them The ranches of Puerto Plata). With the time they begin to be transferred finally. It counts the historic one that in epoch of the Devastations of Ozoria this community served in transit communicative between the Valley of the Cibao and Port Silver, serving of refuge and hideout to those settlers that refused to abandon its population. For 1843, during the government of Chat Heráld, was appointed as placed Cantonal of the I Exercise Haitian, which disappeared with the Independence.

For the period of the Annexation, Altamira became a part of the Province of Santiago upon being put in force the Law Not. 40 of the 1845. From the National Independence and Restoration, Altamira was acquiring not alone importance soldier, by its strategic location but, also demographic and commercial.

In the times of the Restoration the dispersed shacks were done more numerous and they were grouped in the shape of a village that understood among 60 ó 75 families, which lived on the cultivation of agricultural products of short cycle and of the untamed stockbreeding. While it elapsed the war Restorer the commercial activities were seen simply diminished, although in little time flourished again. For this time Altamira included a single street that called him The Street of the Commerce, where were the main business of clothes, shoe, edible, household goods of the home.

Do when Altamira was raised to the position of common its first communal leader was Don José Hilario Francisco, who had the title of General. His main one I Unionize Policeman was Manuel Peña, he allies Manuelito. The first catholic priest was Juan Albino. These activities were sworn in by the Puerto Plata Province governor, call at that time Pedro Pepín.

The current street San José was initially a road built in 1890, call for that epoch street of the donkeys because in her all the were hitched animals of account and of load that came from the adjoining zones.

The communication between Puerto Plata and Santiago was done through a railroad track that was inaugurated in the 1897, and its main station or stop was located in the sector La Piedra, of this community of Altamira.

According to the locals the passage cost a 1,00, and in the time of traveled through was of two hours and a half.

The Municipal Cemetery was built by the same business that built the Railroad in the 1889, but the same one was destroyed by an earthquake in 1946, of which only a portón of iron remained us that still is conserved. These they were taken by witnesses and actors such as: Aurelia Peña, grandmother of the Doctor Pedro Mendoza, Monga Peña daughter of the first one I unionize of the town, Doña Leonora, who was 104 years old, when this article was written.

Geography

Altamira is found situated in the Cordillera Septentrional to 400 meters on the level of sea, with a humid climate of forest.

It is located between the parallels 19,6 and 19,7 North length and in the meridians 70,7 and 70,8 of Western length, limiting to the North with the Municipality of Imbert, to the South with the Province of Santiago, to the West with the Municipalities of Guananico and Hope and to the east with the Municipality San Felipe of Puerto Plata.

It has a territorial extension of 188,08 Km. approximately, considered as the 5to. Municipality in surface, with a relief very injured in which some elevations of the cordillera septentrional are found like:Diego de Ocampo, Pico el Gallo, Loma Prieta, Loma Los Picos, Loma Guazaral, Pico Angostura y Pico Las Manaclas. Políticamente está dividido en ocho secciones que son: Río Grande, (hoy distrito municipal), Pescado Bobo, El Mamey, Palmar Grande, Los Llanos, Higüero, Quebrada Honda y Escalera, and counts also with 92 spots.

Culture

Rich Culture

* Grupo Cultural Ugaca
* Palos y Atabales
* Velas Ofrecidas
* Canto Folklórico La Pepa
* Canto y Baile Folklórico El Machacó
* Fiestas Patronales
* Aniversario de Altamira
* Viacrusis de la Iglesia

Important Zones

* Los Picos de Río Grande; Pilar y Angostura.
* El Pico Diego De Ocampo
* Loma de los Puntieles (Los Lirios y Guazaral)
* Alto de Bohío.
* Loma de la Prieta
* La Lomota
* Los Manantiales
* Loma el Gallo.
* Loma de Quinigua.

Places Recommended

* Balneario Natural Las Angostura (Río Grande Abajo)
* Balneario Montaña Verde (Quebrada Honda)
* Saltadero la Damajagua (Palmar Grande).
* Balneario Boca de Río Grande.(Palmar Grande)
* Charco la Piedra (Palmar Grande)
* Balneario Cuevas de las Aguas (Escalera)
* Balneario El Almacén (Río Grande)
* Balneario Charco de la Paila (El Almacén)
* Balneario Bellaco (Bajabonico Arriba).
* Balneario Agua Fresca (Quebrada Honda)

Sources

*http://www.wikidominicana.edu.do/wiki/Municipio_Altamira
*http://www.mialtamira.com