Puerto Rico’s charms are many and quite unlike what you’ll find elsewhere in the United States. You can scale the steps of a 16th-century fort or journey through a tropical forest to find a world-famous seat of scientific research. Although the island seems designed for relaxation, with extensive white beaches and Caribbean-style nightlife, the curious explorer also finds plenty of landmarks of significance. (USA Today).
Arecibo telescope collapses, ending 57-year run
The Arecibo Observatory is gone. Its 900-ton instrument platform, suspended above a dish in the karst hills of Puerto Rico, collapsed this morning, at about 8 a.m. local time, says Ramon Lugo, director of the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida, which manages the 57-year-old radio telescope for the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Puerto Rico closes colonial-era forts due to US shutdown
https://www.apnews.com/fdd4ffca06b149b689e1f55503100a69
Casa Amadeo, antigua Casa Hernández
from NPS.gov The music store now known as Casa Amadeo opened as Casa Hernández in the Bronx, New York, just prior to the large post-World War II Puerto Rican migration to New York City. When the United States directed all its investment in Puerto Rico's sugar sector,...
Arecibo Telescope in Trouble
The U.S. National Science Foundation is accepting proposals from anyone who wants to take over operations. By Associated Press and Danica Coto Jan 25, 2017 The future of one of the world's largest single-dish radio telescopes is in question after the U.S....
Bahia Mosquito
Also known as Bioluminescent Bay, Bahia Mosquito is filled with a species of phosphorescent dynoflagellate, making the waters glow — it's a magnificent sight, particularly in the dark. The microorganisms are harmless. Avoid any cruise offers that use motor boats,...
El Cañuelo
Fortin San Juan de la Cruz (Fort Saint John of the Cross), better known as el Cañuelo, is located on Isla de Cabras, Puerto Rico. This fort was originally built in wood in 1500. Its location at the entrance of the San Juan bay, and in front of the Fort San Felipe del...
Tibes Indian Ceremonial Park
787-840-2255 /787-840-5685 The Indian Ceremonial Center of Tibes, located in the city of Ponce was discovered in 1975. The first inhabitants of the area were presumably the Igneris Indians who came from South America. They must have settled here at about the...
El Yungue
EL Yunque is the only Tropical Rainforest in the United States. It's named after the "Good" Taino spirit Yukiyi. It is divided into four sections: Tabonuco forest, Palo Colorado forest, Palma Sierra forest, and Bosque en las nubes (Forest in the clouds). The entire...
Puerto Rico Touts New Plans For Giant Telescope
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico plans to build a hotel and a planetarium as part of a $50 million project to attract more visitors to the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, officials said Tuesday. It is the first major announcement from the new...
Punta Borinquen
Inactive since 1918, when the lighthouse was nearly destroyed by a tsunami. The lighthouse was an octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story stone keeper's house, similar to the Cabo San Juan lighthouse. Foundations and portions...
Punta Mules Vieques
Lighthouse painted cream with white trim, lantern black. Restored in 1992, the building formerly housed a small museum, the building has deteriorated and is now closed to the public. Located on the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Isabella Segunda (Vieques)...
Puerto Ferro (Vieques) Lighthouse
Octagonal cylindrical stone tower rising from the center of 1-story stone keeper's house. Active light on skeletal tower next to the lighthouse. Lantern removed. Endangered by decay and lack of maintenance, the lighthouse has fallen into ruin and has been added to...
Las Cabezas (Fajardo) Lighthouse
Tower painted light gray with white trim, lantern black. The original 1-story neoclassical stone keeper's house is used as a nature center and marine laboratory operated by the College of Humacao of the University of Puerto Rico. This beautiful and well-preserved...
Isla de Cardona Lighthouse
Lighthouse painted white; lantern is black. Original 6th order Sautier, Lemonier & Cie. Fresnel lens is on display in the Coast Guard Museum in San Juan. Marinas.com has aerial photos, Colón-Sepúlveda has a historic photo and an aerial photo of the island and...
Isla de Cabra Lighthouse
The Ceiba lighthouse entered service in 1908. It was designed following the style used for the San Juan lighthouse (El Morro), and constructed on Cabras Island, the eastern tip of Puerto Rico, opposite Vieques Island. The establishment of a lighthouse at this location...
Guanica Lighthouse
Octagonal cylindrical masonry tower attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house; lantern removed. The tower and and keeper's house are in ruins. The lighthouse was replaced by a buoy offshore. This is a critically endangered lighthouse; the building appears to be in...
Faro Punta Tuna
Lighthouse painted white, lantern black; the keeper's house is painted cream with white trim. The original 3rd order Fresnel lens, somewhat damaged by vandals, remains in the tower but is not in use. In 2006, George Van Parys founded a support organization called...
Faro Punta Figuras
Lighthouse painted cream with white trim. The original lantern and lens were destroyed by vandals in 1969. By early 2001, the lighthouse was in very poor shape, with no roof and only scraps of its lantern; this earned it a spot on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List....
