Historic Chronology of Coamo - Conquest and Colonization

1492
Christopher Columbus first voyage to America.

1493
Christopher Columbus second voyage, takes possession of the island known as Borikén by the Taino (Puerto Rico) for the Spanish Crown and named it Saint John the Baptist.

1509
Juan Ponce de León starts the conquest and colonization of Saint John the Baptist, accompanied by about 100 men. The indigenous population was estimated between 50,000 and 70,000 people.

1510
About 300 Spanish colonist inhabit the island. The main activity is gold mining from rivers and streams, using indigenous peoples as  "encomendados" or slaves.

1511
The indigenous rebellion starts, as well as strong Spanish campaigns to recapture the rebels.

1512
After Spanish victories over the indigenous peoples, the colonists start moving inland due to the treat of coastal attacks from pirates and Caribs (peoples from the eastern islands). The Coamo river valley became the favorite site for settlers.

1519
An estimated one third of the indigenous population dies due to a small-pox epidemic. The first Africans are brought to the island as slaves.

1521
Caribs attack the coast of Guayama, many settlers move inland.

1543
A French army sends 40 men to shore to attack the ranches at Guayama and steal the cattle.

1567
Caribs attack San German (when that town was were Aguadilla is now). When the same fleet was robbing the ranches in Guayama, a civilian army made of 18 neighbors from the Coamo valley defended the area, and rescued the prisoners and goods from the San German attack.  This happened while governor Francisco Bahamonte de Lugo, was resting at Coamo, on his way to San German on an official visit.

1570
By these year, more than 30 families had settled at the Coamo river valley.

1572
The Bishop of Puerto Rico, Fray Manuel Mercado, made the first attempts to make Coamo into a town by contacting Felipe II.

1577
The Bishop Fray Diego de Salamanca (Fray Manuel Mercado's successor) continues working for the foundation of Coamo.

1579
In a letter dated April 6, Bishop Salamanca informs the King that the religious foundation of Coamo is already underway, and ask for formal approval of the town. On July 15 king Felipe II approves the foundation of Coamo. The center of the town was located to the north of the old Taino village (today Buenos Aires Street), by the Coamo River. The original territory's borders were: Guayama River to the east, Jacaguas River to the west, to the north the Central Mountain Range, and to the south the Caribbean Sea.

According to historian Ramón Rivera Bermúdez, the names of only five of the first colonizers are known:

1597
Jesuit missioners father Carlos Spínola and brother Gerónimo de Angelis visit Coamo in a mission to bring Christianity and civilization to the community.

1616
21 of the 40 neighbors which lived near downtown testify at a public hearing. It is believed that they were the same settlers of 1579 and/or their immediate descendants:

Eleven of the 21 residents could not read or write, suggesting that they were second or third generation born at Coamo, without access to formal education