Villa Tapia

**Villa Tapia** is a town in the Dominican Republic's Hermanas Mirabal Province. The population was 30,021 at the 2015 census.

## Villa Tapia

### Region

Cibao NE
Hermanas Mirabal Province

### Distance to:

Salcedo: 10 km (*6 mi.*)Santo Domingo: 130 km (*81 mi.*)

## History

The history of this place begins with its foundation in 1862. This section of the municipality of La Vega was originally called **La Jagua**.

It was later renamed the Municipal District of **Monseñor de Meriño** in honor of the great Dominican Priest and Politician.

The La Jagua section was once again elevated to the category of district with the name of **Villa Tapia** in honor of General Doroteo Antonio Tapia, hero of the restoration.

In 1844 General Gregorio Billini became president of the Republic, who appointed him as governor of La Vega. In the performance of his duties, Tapia made the arrangements for the natural limits of Juana Núñez to be definitively established. He deployed all his efforts and used all the means at his disposal in order to achieve it but it was not until 1885 that these limits were set.

During the time that he remained in La Vega as governor, he carried out a series of activities for the benefit of said city. Later he resigned from that position and returned to Salcedo where he dedicated himself to commerce. He formed the Salcedo Music Band and managed the necessary resources to provide it with musical instruments, an order he obtained in 1891. He founded the first school and installed the Political Corps made up of three members. He died in Salcedo. Currently the main street of the City bears his name and also the name of the section of the old Jagua was changed to the current "Villa Tapia" in his honor.

Villa Tapia was granted municipal status on **April 18, 1968**. However, it was not until **September 16, 1970** that the first town hall and the authorities were established. After some time, the beloved Villa Tapia had become one of the most well-known towns in the country, of people with high academic positions and good and collaborative people.

### Villa Tapia today

It is located in the south of the Hermanas Mirabal Province, framing its extension in the Vega Real Valley, about 7 kilometers from the Salcedo municipality. It is a region of high agricultural production, where cocoa, coffee and minor fruits are harvested, among others. This region is considered the largest banana producer.

It also has an Association for Development, public offices, a police station, a fire department, a town hall, a municipal funeral home, commercial banks, a health center, a savings and loan cooperative, and restaurants, among others.

One of the most important centers that Villa Tapia has and that has been operating since 1997 is the Rural Promotion Center (Cepror), in the community of Santa Ana, serving young people with limited economic resources and children of farmers from different communities. They jointly receive training in the basic and technical vocational agricultural baccalaureate, under the supervision of the National Institute of Professional Technical Training. According to its director, these young people, some of whom are in boarding schools in the center, can become agribusiness owners.

## Geography

Villa Tapia is located at 19.2983° N, 70.4224° W. According to the ONE, the municipality has a total land area of 90.12 square kilometers (24.80 square miles). It is bordered on the north by the city of Salcedo, on the east by the city of San Francisco de Macorís, on the south and west by the La Vega Province city of La Vega. The town also shares a minute border with the town of Tenares on its northeast corner.

The municipality of Villa Tapia is divided into four sections and 43 localities with an area of ​​90.12 sq km area corresponding to 22% of the provincial territory and with 23,979 inhabitants, corresponding to 19% of the provincial population.

## Economy

Villa Tapia is generally an agricultural municipality known for its fertile lands and crops of cocoa, bananas, yucca and coffee. Other significant sources of income include livestock and handicrafts.

## Heritage

It has two parishes, the main one being San Rafael, whose patron saint festivities in honor of its patron are held on **October 24** of each year

## References

Villa Tapia [1]

Villa Tapia [2]