Andrés Grillasca Salas

Andrés Grillasca Salas (6 January 1888 – 19 December 1973[5]) was a Puerto Rican farmer from Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, and Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 2 January 1941 to 9 May 1956. Until the 1990s administration of Rafael Cordero Santiago, Grillasca Salas had the distinction of being the longest-serving mayor of the city (16 years).[6] He was known to always dress in white clothes.[7]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Grillasca and the second or maternal family name is Salas.

Andrés Grillasca Salas
Mayor Andrés Grillasca Salas
122nd Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
In office
2 January 1941 – 9 May 1956[1]
Preceded byJosé Tormos Diego
Succeeded byJosé Dapena Laguna
Personal details
Born6 January 1888[2]
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
Died19 December 1973(1973-12-19) (aged 85)[3]
Ponce, Puerto Rico
SpouseAngela Trani
OccupationFarmer[4]

Early years

Grillasca Salas was born in the neighboring town of Adjuntas[8] in 1888.[9] He was the son of Francisco Grillasca and Jesusa Salas. He married Angela Trani.[10]

Political life

Grillasca Salas defeated future governor of Puerto Rico Luis A. Ferre in the bid for mayor of Ponce in 1940.[11]

Juan Morel Campos Music Institute

In 1947 Grillasca established the Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce.[12] The school is now known as the Juan Morel Campos Music Institute.

Sports and recreational facilities
Grillasca during his mayoral term

Grillasca Salas also had an interest in sports, and in 1949 he inaugurated the Francisco Montaner Stadium in Ponce. He also established a fund for the creation of a second new sports venue in Ponce. To accomplish it, he established a special contribution for every sports activity held in the city. Still short of funds, the project was not developed for many years. However, during the administration of mayor Eduardo Ruberté Bisó (1964–1968), new interest in the project developed and construction started on what was then called the Ponce Coliseum. It was later renamed the Juan "Pachín" Vicens Auditorium, in honor of the greatest figure in Ponce basketball.

Abolition Park

Grillasca Salas is also remembered for building, in 1956, what is to this day the only monument in the Antilles dedicated to the abolition of slavery. The monument is now surrounded by a park with graceful gardens and is located next to an outdoors acoustic amphitheater, and is called Abolition Park.[13][14]

Death, honors, and legacy

Grillasca Salas died in Ponce on 19 December 1973.[15] He was 85 years old. The cause of his death was "cerebral arteriosclerosis with terminal pneumonia."[16] He was buried at Cementerio Civil de Ponce.

Grillasca Salas is honored at Ponce's Park of Illustrious Ponce Citizens. Only six, of over 100 Ponce mayors, are honored there.[17] He is remembered as a mayor who fought for the autonomy of the municipality of Ponce from the centralization forces at the Central Government in San Juan.[18] In Ponce, there is a private housing development named after him ("Villa Grillasca"), as well as a hospital, Hospital Oncologico Andres Grillasca, named in his honor.[19]

See also

References
  1. Alcaldia de Ponce Cuidad Senorial. Iris Antongiorgi Concepcion and Gladys E. Tormes Gonzalez, Ponce Historical Archives. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  2. Certificado de Difuncion. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  3. Certificado de Difuncion. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  4. Certificado de Defunción. Area 152, Year 1973, Registry 56, Number 1017. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  5. Certificado de Defunción. Area 152, Year 1973, Registry 56, Number 1017. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  6. Escuela Acreditada Andrés Grillasca Salas. Accessed 3 February 2019.
  7. Abre Instituto Ponceño de Síndrome Down. Reinaldo Millán La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 31. Issue 1575. Page 18. 5 February 2014.
  8. Birthplace
  9. Date of Birth and Death
  10. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  11. El Boricua Puerto Rican Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  12. Free School of Music
  13. MundoBoricua Archived 15 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 28 June 2009.
  14. Abolition Park Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  15. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Accessed 3 February 2019.
  16. Certificado de Defunción. Area 152, Year 1973, Registry 56, Number 1017. Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. Division del Registro Demográfico y Estadísticas. Puerto Rico, Civil Registrations, 1885–2001 for Andres Grillasca Salas: Defunciones (Deaths), Ponce, Defunciones 1973–1975, t. 207–211. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  17. Politics. TravelPonce. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  18. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945–2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 11.
  19. Historia del HOAG. HOAG. 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.

Further reading
  • El Cacique, by Riggin Dapena Vidal. 212 pages. Published by Milagros G. Mayoral, 1996. (LCCN: 97121968) Coamo, P. R. : Imprenta Costa.
  • Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. pp. 321. Item 1609. LCCN 92-75480
  • Victor Bono Rodriguez. "La obra de la actual administración municipal de Ponce." El Dia. 18 Diciembre 1949. pp. 51–53.
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