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island 'Borinquen' was populated by the Taino Indians until the
early 1500's. Carib Indians raided the more peaceful Taino and
established a few settlements. Columbus discovered the island
on his second voyage in 1493 and named it San Juan. No attempt
at settlement was made until Juan Ponce de Leon was given a charter
by the King of Spain to colonize the island of San Juan (1508).
The first capital city soon moved from its' origins in Caparra
to what is now Old San Juan due to the mosquito infestations from
the surrounding swamps. The capital city became known as San Juan
as the name of the island changed to Puerto Rico (Rich Port).
The Spanish government built a series of fortifications, including
El Morro and San Cristobal, which still stand guard over the entrance
to the harbor.
Please note
that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found to the
right of this pages. 
Old San Juan is the second oldest Spanish colonial
city in the New World and an excellent example of Spanish colonial
architecture; most of which, has been beautifully restored. The
lovely blue cobblestones paving the streets were brought as ballast
in the ships. The cities of Ponce and Mayaguez were established
in the late 1700's.
 As
settlement of Puerto Rico progressed, the native Indians tried
to defend their island but were overpowered by the Spanish' Conquistadores'.
The Indians not killed in battle were enslaved, most died off
from disease and maltreatment. Many of the Indian women survived
and eventually populated the interior of Puerto Rico along with
the Spanish sailors who had brought no women with them. For several
hundred years Puerto Rico was mainly a small farm economy. In
the early 1800's the King of Spain granted a 'Cedula de Gracia'
to increase the European population of Puerto Rico by awarding
land grants to immigrants from South American colonies, Spain
and other European countries. Thus began the century of change
from small farms to large coffee plantations, then sugar production
came into supremacy. African slaves were imported for the larger
plantations. Slavery was abolished in 1873.
What is now Old San Juan is the second oldest
European city in the new world. Many of the names of the towns
and municipalities are derived from the Taino names of the Indian
Chiefs who ruled in that area. Caguas, Orocovis, Morovis and Guajataca
are all Taino names.
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