Learn about: Baracoa Beach

Beach Baracoa (Bauta). Locality of the municipality Bauta, province Artemisa, located in the North coast of the island of Cuba, to the west of Havana.
Its territorial extension is of 5 ½ km, of these 3 are urban and 2 ½ rural. The length of the coastal ditch is 2.6 km, has accumulation of sand and outcropping of dog teeth. In the 15th century it was incorporated into the heritage of geographical knowledge of the European world with advances and techniques.

History
The new world formed by indigenous communities, in the midst of primitive communism, with nothing to slow down their way of life. In this locality in the XV century those who inhabited primogenically the space, were the Aruacos, coming from South America, already in extinction would arise the collectors, fishermen, hunters and farmers and potters.

There is no news of direct contacts of these ancestors of the area with the Spanish. The first mercy of the territory was made in 1558, this being the corral of Baracoa, by this date the aborigines that had survived were in two large encomiendas, Guanabacoa and Santiago de Cuba.

In 1568 in capitular acts, the petition and agreement to grant to Bartholomew Basago the site of Baracoa for minor livestock.

In the minutes of January 27, 1727, the demolition of the corral is updated. Baracoa belonged to the convent of the Fathers of Bethlehem, which was demolished in 1730. Fray Francisco Javier de Santa Teresa, owner of the hacienda, San Cristóbal de Baracoa, procurator of the religious convent Betlemita orders to measure their lands for territorial extension rivalries in the Year 1732. In that same year Baracoa is bought again that measures 7 leguas.

In 1734 Manuel de la Cruz said that in the Santa Ana River and lands that were from Baracoa bought 14 caballerias, with which he wants to make sugar mills.

In 1735 Br: Francisco Xavier de Santa Teresa, Procurator of the Cabildo de Religios Belemitas says that between the rivers El Baracoa and Santa Ana there is a place on purpose for saline.

In the minutes of July 6, 1735, the concession of land is granted between the estates of Baracoa, Banes, Guatao and Ariguanabo, to Don Francisco Antonio Nasabe, including all the old pens of Baracoa.

The main economic activities in those times was the extraction of wood transported to the Villa de la Habana, used in different constructions of the time.

In 1720 sugar production began in the locality with the San Cristóbal de Baracoa sugar mill, becoming one of the colossi of the time, grinding 40000 of cane per harvest.

On November 14, 1766, the Capitol Act recorded the development achieved by the sugar production in the area, promoting the cultivation of sugar cane, tobacco and livestock.

There appears a boom in the sugar industry that has been manifesting since the end of the century, as well as coffee plantations which are: El Marcial, La Rosalía, Las Delicias, El Descanso, La Ruperta, La Josefa and Trinidad. With this rebirth there was an increase in slave labor.

In the Chapter Acts of November 14, 1776, the high development of sugar production is said. From 1792 to 1800 in statistical data of the tables obtained in the parish of Bauta of baptisms of brown and brown the entrance of these to the baracoense territory amounted to 534 people, of these its origins are: Licumies, Carabali, Mandinga, Ganga, Mina , Arara, Mamba, Mondongo and Bricanos.

On July 4, 1829, the Reverend Pedro de la Natividad, President of the Convent Señora de Belén, sold the lots of 10 caballerias.

In 1833, José María Urrutia sold 3 caballerias of land from Ingenio Santa Ana, to Agustín Gutiérrez (Ingenio demolido, was located within the 58 caballerias owned by Francisco García Gutiérrez).

In decades after 1829 the steam engine was introduced in Ingenio San Cristóbal de Baracoa, which occurred with the boom in sugar production.

The 27 of September of the year 1862 was founded the Neighborhood of Baracoa on the shores of the beach.
In the middle of the XVIIIth century, the entrance of more slaves increased, being this place rich in haciendas and mills such as: San Cristóbal de Baracoa, El Palomino, Maurin, Central Gómez, El Macasta, El siglo, El San Isidro, El San Rafael, El Rosario. The potentially economic zone becomes a fundamental link, especially for the slave trade, headed by wealthy landowners, such as: Don Francisco Garcia Gutiérrez, Francisco de la O Porlier and José Ricardo Ofarril (Count of Fernandina) Helped by Francisco Marti and Torrens, delegate of the Navy from the port of Havana to Playa Baracoa, a Catalan national, who at that time represented his duties as subdelegate, in order to pursue smuggling of slave trade. In these tasks the said citizen finds power position and fortune.

The War of the 10 years (1868 to 1878) did not affect in the slightest the activities previously exposed in the zone.
Between 1880 and 1886 the abolition of slavery took place and with it the disappearance of many wits.

During the war of 1895 in the locality of Playa Baracoa the troops of Maceo, engage with Spanish forces in Height of Montes de Oca 27 of September of 1896.

In 1896, in the Salina of Baracoa, Baldomero Acosta fights against the Spanish forces, commanded by Francisco Silugeda Silugeda.

On October 14, 1896, Baracoa was grazed by the flames, applying the incendiary mambisa tea.
In 1896 Maceo camps with his troupe next to the saline of Baracoa.

On 6 December 1896 the troops of Antonio Maceo and Baldomero Acosta camped at the Maurin mill, before leaving for San Pedro, lieutenant general Antonio Maceo lost his life.

During the Baracoa Neocolonial Republic, large residences and recreational places were rebuilt, where the rich class, political owners and millionaires enjoyed their weekends, their days of rest and vanities.
In the humblest part of the population, known by La loma, there were houses of guano and yaguas without a flat and without sanitary services.

It continues to grow in its width and length this coastal settlement and is already a well-defined beach, exclusive to the wealthy, existing at that time the neighborhoods of Hollywood, Playa Habana, population of Baracoa and La loma.