Olimpio Otero Vergés

Olimpio Otero Vergés (1845–1911) was a merchant,^[2] attorney,^[3] composer, musical editor, and a civic leader in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Early years

Otero Vergés was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1845.

Merchant, composer, and musical editor

Otero founded the first publishing house to publish and distribute Puerto Rican music, called Bazar Atocha. His efforts made possible the circulation and distribution of music from the most important composers of his time, such as Manuel Gregorio Tavarez and Juan Morel Campos. The Bazar, also known as Bazar Otero was also a gathering point for musicians of the area.^[4] One of Otero's better known musical compositions is "La Cuñadita".^[5][6]

Civic leader and political activist

As a civic leader, Otero Verges led the Agricultural and Industrial Tobacco Exposition held in Ponce in 1883, just a year after the successful 1882 Exposition Fair that was held in the same city at Plaza Las Delicias in the building now called Parque de Bombas.^[7]

In October, 1887, Otero led a three-member commission that organized an expedition to Madrid, Spain, for Julio Vizcarrondo and Juan Bautista Arrillaga Roque to denounce the injustices perpetrated by Spanish governor General Romualdo Palacios Gonzalez. It resulted in the removal of General Palacios from office.^[2]

Otero is also known for his promotion and creation of a road, now PR-123, to link Ponce and Arecibo in the early twentieth century. In 1903, the Puerto Rico Legislature named a bridge on the Ponce to Adjuntas section of the road in his memory.^[8] The bridge is located in the Barrio Magueyes of the municipality of Ponce. A prominent local civic and community leader, Otero was also a member of the organizing board that made possible the 1883 Ponce Fair.^[9]

Abolition of slavery

In 1880 Otero, together with the Juan Mayoral Barnés and Román Baldorioty de Castro, was instrumental in creating the concept for a park in Ponce—now known as Abolition Park—dedicated to the abolition of slavery, the only such memorial in the Caribbean.^[10]

Legacy

• In Ponce, there is school named after him.
• A bridge between Ponce and Adjuntas is called the Otero Viaduct, in his memory.
• A plaque recognizes him at Ponce's Park of the Illustrious Ponce Citizens.^[11]

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans

References

1. 1 2 Martha Marchena, Pianist. Cancion Sin Palabras (Compact Disc) Retrieved 19 June 2012.
2. 1 2 El Componte. Museo del Autonismo de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rican Autonomism Museum), Panteon Nacional Roman Baldorioty de Castro, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed November 10, 2010
3. ↑ A Resolution to Name and Designate "Otero Viaduct" a Certain Highway Bridge on the Section of the Arecibo-Ponce Road within the Municipality of Ponce. Acts of the Legislature of Puerto Rico. Approved March 12, 1903. By the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico. pp. 149-150. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
4. ↑ Ramón Marín. Las fiestas populares de Ponce. Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 1994. Page 30. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
5. ↑ Martha Marchena, Pianist. Cancion Sin Palabras (Compact Disc) Retrieved April 11, 2010.
6. ↑ Martha Marchena, Pianist. Cancion Sin Palabras (Compact Disc) Retrieved April 11, 2010.
7. ↑ "Actividad Economica" Hall, Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 9 March 2001.
8. ↑ Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico. A Resolution to Name and Designate "Otero Viaduct" a Certain Highway Bridge on the Section of the Arecibo-Ponce Road within the Municipality of Ponce. Acts of the Legislature of Puerto Rico. Approved March 12, 1903. Pages 149-150. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
9. ↑ By Jose Ramon Abad. Puerto Rico en la Feria-Exposicion de Ponce en 1882: Memoria Redactada de Orden de la Junta Directive de la Misma. (Ponce, Puerto Rico: Establecimiento Tipografico "El Comercio". 1885) Pages 56, 65. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
10. ↑ Let'sGoToPonce. Abolition of Slavery.
11. ↑ Civism. TravelPonce. Retrieved 16 May 2012.