La Cruz de Colon Guest House W/ Air Conditioning

Amazing place where Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico. According to sources, a Taíno settlement called Aymamón was located close to the Culebrinas River.******** Although there is dispute to it, some sources believe that Christopher Columbus entered the island of Puerto Rico through Aguada on his second voyage in November 1493.****************

In July 1510, Cristóbal de Sotomayor received control of the area from Juan Ponce de León and renamed the town Villa de Sotomayor. ******** However, in 1511 the settlement was attacked and burned by the local Taínos. That same year, the King ordered a monastery established in the island, and the Ermita de Espinar was founded. The name of the region was then changed to San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada, since the friars were Franciscan. The monastery was finished in 1516. In 1526, King Charles I of Spain officially founded the Aguada settlement. However, in 1529, Taínos attacked the monastery killing the friars and burning the settlement.********

Still, Aguada resurfaced and became a stopover point for ships on their way to Spain from South America. On September 17, 1662, King Charles II of Spain emitted a Royal Decree declaring Aguada as a "village", and assigning Juan López de Segura as First Lieutenant.********