Barceloneta

 city, village, municipality

Barceloneta is a municipality in Puerto Rico and is located in the north region, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Florida, east of Arecibo and west of Manati. Barceloneta is spread over 3 wards and Barceloneta Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Barceloneta was founded on July 1, 1881 by Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú, an immigrant from Barcelona. The name of Barceloneta ( Little Barcelona ) is derived from the Spanish city. Barceloneta was one of the last municipalities created by the Spanish Government in Puerto Rico.

About a decade after its foundation, the town had a significant economic development led by agriculture and industry. By 1894, there were three sugarcane estates, 93 sugar mills, and 100 of other fruits.

In 1899, Barceloneta requested to be annexed to the town of Manatí. An election was scheduled for August 14, 1899 to decide the matter. However, on August 8, the island suffered the effects of Hurricane San Ciriaco, which prevented the elections to be held. The following year, Governor George Whitefield Davis ordered the annexation of Barceloneta with Manatí. The annexation was short-lived, though, because 11 years later, the government reinstated Barceloneta as a municipality.

After sugarcane mill Central Plazuela closed in 1963, Barceloneta started reinforcing its agricultural economy towards pineapples and other minor fruits. Efforts to revive the economy weren't that successful, until pharmaceutical industries started establishing themselves in the town during the 70s.

Because of its location next to the Río Grande de Manatí, Barceloneta was also known for many years a site of important port activity, for both the shipment of sugar and salt, as well as a passenger route to New York and Barcelona. Don Bonocio's son was the owner of a sail ship that made those routes.