On Sept. 25, 1493, Christopher Columbus set sail from Cadíz Spain for his second voyage to the new world with 17 ships and between 1,200 and 1,500 men. They landed Nov. 19, 1493, in Puerto Rico and named the Island San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist. The first settlement was in the Puerto Nuevo (new port) area called Caparra and was founded Aug. 8, 1508, by Ponce de León, a lieutenant under Columbus who later became governor.

The Puerto Nuevo area settlement lasted only a short time, although remains of the original house are still standing on Highway 2. One year later the settlement was abandoned in favor of a nearby islet on the coast named Porto Rico (rich port) which had a suitable harbor. Sometime during the 1520s the Island became Porto Rico and the port was named San Juan.
Two of Puerto Rico’s major shopping centers – San Patricio Plaza and Plaza Las Americas – flank either side of Puerto Nuevo as do the majority of the Island’s car dealers which line Kennedy Avenue.