1898 Landing Site

Where US troops first landed in Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War

The eastern shore of Guanica Bay is where US Marines and Army troops landed on 25 July 1898, opening the Puerto Rico campaign of the Spanish-American War. A modest monument by the malecón marks the spot, along with interpretive signs in Spanish and English describing the landing and the brief skirmish that followed.

The site is a few minutes' walk from the centre of town and pairs well with a stroll along the waterfront. For a deeper look, the Yauco Battle Site northeast of town preserves the location of one of the larger engagements that followed the landing.

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A story
When the USS Gloucester steamed into Guanica Bay on 25 July 1898, it was met by a token Spanish detachment of around a dozen men. The Spanish flag came down within hours, the American flag went up over the customs house, and Puerto Rico's century-long relationship with Washington began on this small stretch of waterfront.