Gurabo
Founded 1815 after 168 families voted for independence, Gurabo hosts Puerto Rico's only veterinary medicine program (accredited December 2023). First cohort entered September 2024. By 2026, the first veterinary graduates will establish Caribbean regional significance.
Gurabo transformed from an agricultural backwater into one of Puerto Rico's fastest-growing municipalities by hosting the island's only veterinary medicine program—a 2024 milestone that demonstrates how educational institutions can reverse demographic decline.
The region's history traces to the 17th century when it was called Burabo and administered as part of Caguas. In 1812, all 168 family leaders met and selected Luis del Carmen Echevarría to lead their separation movement—an unusually democratic founding moment. Gurabo achieved municipal status in 1815, established its first Catholic church in 1822, and its first Baptist church in 1903. The economy centered on sugarcane and coffee cultivation, following the standard plantation pattern of Puerto Rico's interior valleys. The municipality became known as 'La Ciudad de las Escaleras' (City of Stairs) for the twenty-two-floor-high painted staircase in the El Cerro district—a striking monument that reflects the steep terrain.
The 20th century brought diversification through manufacturing: metal, paper, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, machinery, and electrical equipment. But Gurabo's transformation accelerated when Universidad del Turabo (now UAGM-Gurabo Campus) expanded on its 140-acre suburban campus. The 1972-founded institution grew to become a major regional employer. Then came the veterinary school breakthrough: on December 15, 2023, the American Veterinary Association granted accreditation for Puerto Rico's first and only Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. The White Coat Ceremony for the initial 80-student cohort occurred September 28, 2024.
Gurabo has become a satellite suburb of San Juan, with residents commuting to the capital while enjoying lower housing costs. This positioning drove rapid residential construction and infrastructure improvements. Mayor Rosachely Rivera Santana, re-elected in 2024, oversees a municipality that bucked Puerto Rico's population decline through strategic educational development. Manufacturing persists alongside agriculture—some sugarcane remains, reflecting historical continuity.
By 2026, Gurabo's veterinary school will graduate its first cohort, establishing the municipality as Puerto Rico's animal health training center—a specialization that creates jobs and attracts students from across the Caribbean.