Altamira

**Altamira** is a town in the Puerto Plata Province of the northwestern Dominican Republic.

## Altamira

### Region

 Puerto Plata Province
Cibao N

### Distance to:

Puerto Plata:
38 km (*24 mi.*)
Santo Domingo:
194 km (*121 mi.*)

## Etymology

In relation to the name there are two versions, the first according to historical data, is due to the fact that at the time of the discovery, when Christopher Columbus displaced himself towards the Cibao Valley, from the height of the mountains of this municipality, exclaimed: "From the top I look," (*"De lo alto miro"*). Another version tells that such designation is due to the geographical similarity of this municipality with the Altamira Cave of Spain.

## History

In principle, this community functioned as a state where adjacent populations were moved to form their conucos where the main product they planted was tobacco. It tells the story that at the time of the Osorio devastation this community served as a communicative step between the Cibao Valley and Puerto Plata, which served as a refuge and hiding place for the colonists who refused to leave their population. By **1843**, during the government of Charles Herárd, he was appointed as "Cantonal of the Haitian Army", which disappeared with the Independence of the Dominican Republic.

For the period of the annexation, Altamira became part of the province of Santiago, after Law no.40 of **1845**. Of National Independence and Restoration, Altamira was acquiring importance not only for its strategic location, but also demographic and commercial.

In the times of the Restoration the scattered huts became more numerous and were grouped in the form of a village that comprised between 60 or 75 families, who lived from the cultivation of short-cycle agricultural products and from Maroon cattle .

During the Restoration War, commercial activities were simply diminished, although in a short time it flourished again. At this time Altamira had a single street called "La Calle del Comercio", where the main businesses of clothing, shoes, food, household goods were.

Altamira was elevated to the category of municipality by disposition of the president of the Dominican Republic Ulises Heureaux on **October 29, 1889**, by Decree no. 9793. Because on this day his training ended, it is one of the most important dates in the community. When Altamira was granted municipal status, its first chief was Don José Hilario Francisco. Its main Municipal trustee was Manuel Peña. The first Catholic priest was Juan Albino. These activities were sworn in by the governor of Puerto Plata, Pedro Pepín.

The link between Puerto Plata and Santiago was done through a railroad that opened in **1897**, and its main railway station was located in the "La Piedra" sector of this Altamira community.

The Municipal Cemetery was built by the same company that built the railroad in **1889**, but it was destroyed by an earthquake in **1946**, of which only one iron gate remained that is still preserved.

## Geography

Altamira is located in the Northern Cordillera 400 meters (*1300 ft*) above sea level, with a humid forest climate.

Considered as the 5th surface municipality, it has a very rugged relief in which there are some elevations of the northern mountain range such as: Diego de Ocampo, Pico el Gallo, Loma Prieta, Loma Los Picos, Loma Guazaral, Pico Angostura and Pico Las Manaclas (*The Handcuffs*).

## Twinning

Altamira is twinned with Altamira (Tamaulipas), Mexico.

## References

Altamira [1]

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