Camagüey, Cuba

Essays, monographs, legends, poems, images, and other morsels of history of the city, the province, and the people of Camaguey in Cuba.
Camaguey was founded as Puerto Principe in the 16th century and was renamed Camaguey at the turn of the 20th century.


 Siglo XVII 
 17th Century 
 1600-1699 

1608 Espejo de Paciencia—a 17th century epic poem by Silvestre de Balboa (1563-1649), resident of Puerto Principe, about the rescue of a bishop captured by a pirate. In Spanish.



 Siglo XVIII 
 18th Century 
 1700-1799 

1748 The Legend of the Holy Sepulcher of Camagüey—a tale of fratricide and foregiveness, of pieces of eight turned into a work of art. Translated to English with the original Spanish alongside.

1748 Leyenda del Santo Sepulcro—an essay by Ofelia Cabrera Zaldivar on the origin of Camagüey's silver-plated Holy Sepulcher, which dates back to the 18th century. Translated to English with the original Spanish alongside.



 Siglo XIX 
 19th Century 
 1800-1899 

1841 Vida de Ignacio Agramonte—Juan J. E. Casasús 310 page work, published in 1937 in Camaguey. In Spanish.

1860 The White Vulture - El Aura Blanca—by Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda (1814-1873). Translated to English with the original Spanish alongside.

~1860 Amor y Orgullo—by Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda (1814-1873). This poem was selected by Marcelino Menendez y Pelayo as one of the 100 best poems of the Castillian language. In Spanish.

1868 Glorioso Pasado Historico de Camaguey—by Comandante Raul D. Acosta León. Published in 1951, this 238 page book about the Cuban Republic Under Arms chronicles the struggle for independence from Spain in Acosta's first hand account, quotations from original letters and documents, illustrated biographies of principals, and lists of patriots. In Spanish.

1868 The Life and Death of Ignacio Agramonte—a short pen-and-ink graphic publicaion with 18 full-page panels depicting the highlights of his short but significant life. In English alongside the original Spanish captions.

1869 Something About Cuba–Its History, Its Climate, Its People—Two-part article with four engravings from the August 14 and August 21, 1869 editions of Appletons' Journal. In English.

1871 Cuba with Pen and Pencil—the Puerto Principe chapter from Samuel Hazzard's fine 19th Century illustrated travelogue. In English.

1875 Puerto Príncipe – Cuba—an illustrated travelogue by Joseph Alden Springer U.S. Consular Clerk at Havana. In English.

1850? The Legend of Dolores Rondon—the translation of a 1958 essay by Dr. Abel Marrero Companioni on the background of a famous poem-epitaph. In English.

1894 The Tramways of Camagüey—link to Allen Morrison's Camaguey page. From his richly illustrated web-book "The Tramways of Cuba." In English and Spanish.

1898 A Glimpse of the Cuban War—Harper's Weekly article by F.D. Pagliuchi. Writer traveled to La Esperanza, the Capital of the Cuban government-in-arms. 11 Photographs. In English.

1898 The Pearl of the Antilles—Very readable monograph by Frederic M. Noa summarizing the reasons for Cuban Wars of Independence and the American intervention. In English.



 Siglo XX 
 20th Century 
 1900-1999 

1905 Old Camaguey - A Survival of the Centuries in Interior Cuba—a 1905 travel magazine article by Elisa Armstrong Bengough about "quaint" Camaguey, illustrated with photographs. In English.

1911 Camaguey Tennis Club—Felipe Pichardo's history of this unique women-run club, with photographs. In Spanish with English translation.

1914 A Painted City of the Spanish Main—Article in the June 1914 issue of “The Century Magazine” about the customs, people, and architecture of Camagüey. In English.

1925 Building a Railroad Under Unusual Conditions—Article in Railroad Age describing the building of the branch line to Santa Cruz del Sur on the Cuba Railroad. In English.

1925 The Cuban Special—The Pullman Company promotional flyer for a special 7-day hotel-on-wheels train tour of Cuba. In English.

1952 Poema de Ayer Imborrable - Short poem by Dr. Salvador E. Riverón remembering the Camaguey of his youth and lamenting the changes of progress. In Spanish.

1952 50 Years of Railway Progress - 50 Años de Progreso Ferroviario— published by Consolidated Railroads of Cuba with over one hundred photographs of Camaguey from the late 1940's and early 1950's. In Spanish with English translation.

1955? La Tierra Más Hermosa—a reminiscence of the natural beauty that is Cuba by Dr. Antonio R. Martínez y Martínez (1905-1982). In Spanish.

1975 Mementos En Noche de Novilunio—a letter in verse written to two friends by Dr. Martínez. Original in Spanish with an English translation following.

1977? Estampas De Isabelita y Chalon (Y Vals Para Piano)—vignettes of his good friends, in the form of a short poem, by Dr. Martínez. In Spanish.

1977? Samaritana—Poesía del Dr. Martínez. In Spanish.

1980 Recipe for Guacamole Camagüeyano (Avocado and Pineapple Salad). Refreshing and easy to prepare.

1998 Antonio Ricardo Martínez y Martínez—A short biography by Roberto Méndez Martínez. In Spanish.



—Edited and published by J. J. Prats.
 
You may also be interested in these other sites by the same publisher:
          Las Cien Mejores Poesías de la Lengua Castellana
            The Historical Marker Database