Tour Guide, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
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The development of the Taino establishment in actual Santo Domingo was a massive yuca plantation that counted as 5,000' mounds'. This caught the attention of Spaniards as it has a broad and deep river mouth closer to a gold streak in Haina (a river about 12 km west of Santo Domingo). Its establishment in 1496 and its foundation in 1498 was in the early stages of the Spaniards' 'discovery period' in the New World.
Five necessary authorities arrived in Santo Domingo directly from Spain; all mark the importance of this new establishment instead of Isabella in actual Puerto Plata province, the first Spanish establishment in the Americas. These arrivals were:
Judge Francisco Bobadilla in 1500 m.
Seafaring Americo Vespucio in 1500 after discovering the north coast of South America (the continent is named after him).
The newly appointed governor Nicolas de Ovando in April 1502, came to substitute Cristopher Columbus governorship.
In his fourth journey, Cristopher Columbus in 1502 and 1504, just previous to the June 1502 significant hurricane that wiped out the wood made structures of (East) Santo Domingo.
The newly appointed governor Diego Columbus in 1509, who stayed in Ozama Fort for some months and later stayed on the second floor in a house on the west side of actual Spain Plaza ('Plaza España', facing his future 'Alcazar').
Next to the Gate of the New World, the authorities created the port area and the customs facilities (north of Columbus Alcazar) of this transatlantic city in the 1502-1509 period of Nicolas de Ovando.
Once the hurricane wiped out SD, the first European street was marked with the name Las Damas. As a result of the pirate attack on Cubagua in Venezuela and Azua in Española in 1537, the city hall planned to build a wall to protect the city.
As the city had a wall finished in 1543, travellers departed from Puerta de la Misericordia on Palo Hincado Street to travel to the 'Cibao' region as the 'Misericordia Gate' was walled off by French troops defending from the siege imposed on the city after the Palo Hincado defeat (November 1808-August 1809). This gate remained close throughout the XIX century, and the Conde Gate was used instead to enter and leave the city. The actual 30 de Marzo Street (remembering the victory of Dominicans in Santiago Park in 1844 over Haitians) was the road to the Cibao. This 30 de Marzo Street was later extended as San Martin Avenue (it runs south of Plaza de la Salud).
In the XVII century, the northern part of the wall was built starting in Concepcion Fort, on Palo Hincado and Mella Street, in 1672 and ended in 1695 with Saint Barbara Fort. In this same century, right after this northern stone curtain was finished, people used to walk around the wall to get to pigeon hunting areas and cattle ranches north of the SD wall. This path would later be the first street surrounding the city as Mella Avenue early XX century. This wall was partially destroyed by a decree of president Ulysses Heureaux in 1884 to connect the internal roads with new roads exactly as a continuation of the internal ones. On the west plain of SD on the King plain, the old city hall cattle ranch area on the west plain, right off on the West 'Misericordia Gate', was urbanized informally and called New City (Ciudad Nueva).
The land close to the sea west of SD was bought gradually. These owners developed cattle ranches and built wooden houses with garage, terrace, frontal or rear garden by the third decade of the XX century. The axis of these houses was the actual Independence Avenue on the old Guibia beach path (an old Taino path). The Independence Avenue was made by the current government of Ramon Caceres while doing the first stage of the Malecon as Paseo Presidente Billini (it does not exist since the 1930s). While beautifully designed houses were made in Gazcue, irregular and less expensive homes were built north of the city. However, a natural state entrepreneur decided to make a very decent and well-planned project for the low mid-class on the north and called it Villa Francisca (just where Higuey and Romana bus stop and Enriquillo park are located above Mexico Avenue and riverward). Unfortunately, Villa Francisca house owners built houses and rooms in the back yards of their homes, transforming the beautiful residential area into an ugly, dense populated place.
The actual residential area of Gazcue, west of SD, was cattle ranches that were urbanized from the first three decades of the XX century to the mid-1950s. At the top of a hill on the same land spot where the wife of Juan Sanchez Ramirez (who defeated the French in November 1808 at Palo Hincado), the US Customs Office for the Dominican Republic constructed its office (it does not exist since the 1940s). Dominican president Horacio Vasquez later used this house as the presidential office (1924-1930). Gasque became the jewel of the residential area of the country. Older people who remember that epoch speaks with widely opened eyes today, saying: Gazcue was so beautiful!
At the end of the 1930s, Trujillo ordered an international airport in Santo Domingo named General Andrews. The airport was reserved for military use by the USA during WWII.
As the city developed to the west, Rafael Trujillo opened a new avenue to mark the west Maximo Gomez Avenue's city limit in 1946. George Washington Avenue opened in 1934. The following year, Trujillo opened a new urban stain on the west of the city with the University City. As the new area around SD University was delightful and far from the bustling downtown colonial zone, and as Trujillo bought the coastal house of Puerto Rican sugar tycoon Michelena on GW Avenue and Independence Avenue (actual Ministry of Foreign Affairs of DR), he accepted an excellent idea from city hall engineers to construct a new avenue that would permit him to travel to Cibao region directly from this house. It would not require driving east to Maximo Gomez Avenue and then west to Cibao.
As WWII impeded the import of most articles that were previously imported to DR, Trujillo smartly established an 'import substitution' policy based on the creation of new industries on the outskirts of SD. Until then industries were in Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris and Santiago. SD passed from being the country's administrative centre to being the industrial center. This transformation marked a significant push to Santo Domingo's industrial enterprises that exist even today. Trujillo established fabric, bag (Fiasco, South to Maximo Gomez cemetery), beer, flour, paper, food (Mancera, actual Mercasid), cement (natural Metro station on Isabella river south border), cardboard, chemical fertilizer, and furniture.
The Maximo Gomez Avenue encircled the city like a ring as it connected with San Martin Avenue. As the city needed workers, Rafael Trujillo developed a well-organized plan to build worker projects on the west bank of Ozama River in 1944. The 1950s growth of the city continued, led by Trujillo's urban plans. These were the baseball stadium Quisqueya north from the Duarte Highway in 1955 and the Fair. The Fair is located between Abraham Lincoln Avenue on the east and Winston Churchill Avenue on the west.
In the 1950s, Trujillo built a new building for his political party, 'Partido Dominicano' on George Washington Avenue (actual Ministry of Culture).
On April 24, 1965, the city was divided into two parts by the US Occupation troops. The constitutionalist planned to trench in the colonial town and its immediate surroundings. 'Molinos Dominicanos' building on the East bank of Ozama River was built in the XX century (82nd sniper Douglas Lucas used it as a shooting platform to the colonial city).
The 1966-1978 Administration of Joaquin Balaguer (known as the Twelve Years) achieved essential landmarks in the city. The first group of tourist yearly attracted to SD in the 1970s were Puerto Ricans in August during their holidays. He continued the plan to build a national industry system to increase and consolidate mid-class. He converted isolated and low farmed areas into new urban areas, like Abraham Lincoln (Winston Churchill and JFK Avenues). He connected the industrial complex of Haina Sugar Mill and its essential port with the Cibao region by the new and extensive Gregorio Luperón Avenue, completing a ring around the city. Next to this avenue developed new industrial areas called Herrera right on the west of the road and with a new street Isabela Aguiar to allow local slow public cars (conchos) and buses (guaguas) to circulate transport workers to Herrera fabrics. His plan to consolidate the mid-class demanded new cultural and recreational facilities.
Then he bult Plaza de la Cultura on Maximo Gomez Avenue, a new zoo in Cristo Rey and a National Botanical Garden in Los Rios, Proceres Avenue. Proceres communicate Lincoln and Luperon avenues by their north sides. As part of the plan, he transformed an isolated lake into The Tree Eyes of Water Park in the East and a new panoramic park called East Park along Las Americas Avenue to Las Americas International Airport. Part of the same green areas urban plan for the capital was constructing an archaeological site at the end of the East Park. The curve to the airport was wisely converted into a restaurant, pre-Columbian museum, parking lot, paths, advantaged points and the integration of the local small blue transparent waters beach of La Caleta beach. President Balaguer, writer, historian and diplomat, restored the colonial city to convert the town into a tourist destination. In the afternoons, Balaguer exercised walking along the 5 km long Parque Mirador along Anacona Avenue. He converted the old polo court where Ramfis Trujillo played polo. US colonel Hawley (later released) was kidnapped by a group of young men who opposed Balaguer cold war assassinations by militarist into the Ambassador Buildings.
The need for housing and expansion of the city increased as many more farmers abandoned the countryside. Balaguer constructed new residential areas: Las Caobas on the fringes of 'February 27 Avenue Prolongacion' to connect to Cibao as a new ring avenue around the city and Charles de Gaulle Avenue on the Eastern side with Juan Carlos Bridge just in 1978 before passing power to Dominican Revolutionary Party with their President Antonio Guzman. The people living in dangerous conditions on the slums of the Ozama river west bank were moved to Las Caobas. Still, after a while living there, many sold their new condos and returned to the banks on Gualey, Guachupita and La Zaraza.
The new government buildings were ample and many. The complex at the end of February 27 Avenue is at the intersection of this avenue with Luperon Avenue with a circle called Flag Plaza, close to Isabel Aguiar Street and its continuation as February 27 Avenue and in Gazcue with Central Bank new building and the Juan Pablo Duarte Government offices building. Then, there were many complaints about people appointed in the government and doing nothing as employees. They were identified as 'bottles', immovable objects; then, the new cement colour building in Gazcue in front of the National Police was called in the streets as the 'bottle box building' (El huacal). The old airport terrain in central Santo Domingo was used to build the Olympic Center, where the XII Games of Central America and the Caribbean were held in 1974. Still, previously a critical week-long protest movement was born in 1972 by a group of Latin American and Spanish artist, 'Seven days with the people' (Siete Dias con el pueblo).
In the return of Joaquin Balaguer to power 1986-1996 (The ten years), the city moved to unfinished business, like the widening of some avenues and the construction of new ones. These new avenues demanded moving local people to new areas; all brought many complaints and resistance. The structure of Mexico avenue ordered the destruction of a good part of dozens of San Carlos wood houses as in Villa Consuelo crossed by the new V Centenary Express, north of UNIBE and 'Rehabilitation, a continuation of JFK connect to Duarte Bridge from the north. Critics mentioned that the city suffered a face make up as in these two new avenues 4-5 story high buildings were made along the avenue, but on the rear of the buildings continued their densely populated slums. In 1990 Balaguer started a new ring avenue around the Colombia Republic (US Embassy is on this avenue) and Jacobo Majluta Avenue.
The seaside of the eastern side was turned into a new tourist with the National Aquarium and the Light House of Cristopher Columbus to celebrate the V Centenary of the Discovery of the Americas and the Evangelization of the New World. Balaguer also constructed a park called East Park (Mirador Parque del Este). In 2023 XII Pan-American Games were held in the Olympic Center and in the East Park, where the administration of Hipolito Mejia built new sports infrastructure.
The Patriotic Alliance of 1994 brought to power Leonel Fernandez in 1996. His administration faced the city with tunnels and flyovers on February 27 Avenue.
The return to power of Leonel Fernandez in 2004-2008 and 2008-2012 marked new changes in the city. The Metro subways lines 1 and 2 and new flyovers, avenues and the restoration of the tourist terminals in Ozama River were done. San Diego terminal moves yearly more than 20,000 containers moved by ferry with Puerto Rico.
The Danilo Medina administration made The New Barquita residential project in a regularly flooded area of Ozama River on the Northside of Ozama River.
The 25-year project of the Metro is planned to take 25 years and five lines. The second line from Megacentro will connect to the Community College in San Luis and Juan Bosch city, further in the East. In Juan, Bosch city will be constructed 10,000 houses for low-income Dominicans and will host 100,000 residents. The third line will run from Haina port to Flag Plaza and February 27 Avenue, cross Ozama River up to Juan Carlos II Bridge. The sixth line will connect February 27 Avenue (third line) to the colonial city.
Medina Administration will have completed the third restoration process to the colonial city in his four years in the administration 2012-2016. Rafael Trujillo and Joaquin Balaguer ordered the two previous restorations in his twelve-year period (1966-1978) and his ten-year period (1986-1996). His administration will also finish the new ring of Santo Domingo from Haina to La Victoria in North Santo Domingo (in La Victoria in La Victoria Jail built by Trujillo) and to the East to Samana Juan Pablo II (John Paul II) Highway (in honour of the pope).
There are two shopping areas in Santo Domingo flooded by consumers of low prices. The Sunday only used articles ('packages' pacas) street vendors at Malecon and Independence Avenue (same area of motels) and Villa Con (from Villa Consuelo) north of V Centenary Express for all kind of new and used objects and east of the used cars auto parts 'The 20' (La 20) in Villa Juana, where former president Leonel Fernandez grew up before and after his high school life in New York. It is located between Maximo Gomez and V Centenary Express north of Sambil Mall.