History
The city of Yauco was named after the river Yauco which was originally known as coayuco by the Taínos, meaning "yucca plantation".
The area of Yauco was considered as the capital of "Boriken" (Taíno name of Puerto Rico) and was governed by Agüeybana, the most powerful Taíno "cacique" (chief) in the island. All the other Caciques were subject to and had to obey Agüeybaná, even though they governed their own tribes. Upon Agüeybaná's death in 1510, his nephew, Güeybaná (also known as Agüeybaná II), became the most powerful Cacique in the island. Agüeybaná II had his doubts about the "godly" status of the Spaniards. He came up with a plan to test these doubts; he and Urayoán (cacique of Añasco) sent some of their tribe members to lure a Spaniard by the name of Diego Salcedo into a river and drown him. They watched over Salcedo's body to make sure that he would not resuscitate. Salcedo's death was enough to convince him and the rest of the Taíno people that the Spaniards were not gods. This in turn led to the failed Taíno rebellion of 1511.
In 1755, the Spanish settlers of the region built a small chapel and named it "Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario" (Our Lady of the Rosary). The settlers sent Fernando Pacheco as their representative to the Spanish Government, to request the establishment of a municipality, since one of the requisites to such a request, the establishment of a place of worship, had been met. On February 29, 1756, the King of Spain granted the settlers their request and the town of Yauco was established. Fernando Pacheco was named First Lieutenant of War of the new town.
Read more about this topic: Yauco, Puerto Rico
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