Christopher Columbus Park
On his second trip to the new world, Christopher
Columbus would discover the island of Puerto Rico, landing near
Aguadillo in 1493, and some four centuries later, a cross would be
installed in honor of his arrival and landing spot in the city. That
cross was destroyed by an earthquake in 1918, and wouldn't be
rebuilt until 1937 in Colon Park, that is the city's best park that
is situated by the ocean, with many picnic areas, the enormous tree
house called La Casa del Arbol constructed close to the cross,
historical monuments and a marvelous playground. The city would
commemorate Columbus in 1928 with another cross like the original,
and claim that Columbus landed here. At the bottom of the cross lays
a plaque with the first half written in Spanish and the second in
English. It reads, "To commemorate the landing of Christopher
Columbus on November 19, 1493. This monument was erected on November
19, 1893 by the Board of the Fourth Centenary of the discovery of
Puerto Rico. Reconstructed by the Puerto Rico reconstruction
administration in the year 1937." It is situated in a little forest
at the southern most beach of the city, with a splendid boardwalk
that runs alongside the beach.
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