1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/San German

SAN GERMAN, a city of the department of Mayaguez, Porto Rico, in the south-western part of the island, about 10 m. S.S.E. of the city of Mayaguez, Pop. of the city (1899) 3954; of the municipal district 20,246, of whom 10,715 were of mixed races. The city is served by the American railway of Porto Rico. It is situated near the Guanajibo river, in a fertile agricultural region which produces sugar, coffee, fruit, cacao and tobacco. In one of the public squares is a Dominican church built in 1538.

San German was founded in 1517, was plundered by the French in 1528, was destroyed by corsairs in 1554, and was unsuccessfully attacked by the English in 1748. Until 1782 it was the seat of government of the western district of the island. It was made a city in 1877.