RESTORATION OF THE COUNT MIRASOL FORT IN VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO
*Ignacio Olazagasti
HISTORY OF THE STRUCTURE
Situated on a prominent hill that overlooks the town of Isabel II, the
main town of the Island. The Count Mirasol Fort is a typical example of
the XIX century Spanish fortification system. Its construction began
in 1845 by order of the Governor of Puerto Rico at the time, Don Rafael
de Aristegui y Vlez, also known as "The Count of Mirasol". The
Governor ordered Engineer Diego Galvez to construct the Fort, mounting
four pieces artillery looking toward the port and with a building that
could accommodate a garrison of fifty men. The primary purpose of the
Fort was to offer a safe place from where the Spanish government could
maintain control of the island and defend it against European enemies
who had bases on the neighboring Leeward Islands and from the insurgent
South American movements.
Diplomatic discussions in Europe, the lack of budget on the Main Island,
differences in points of view regarding the defense plans for the Isla
Nena and the Main Island, were elements that contributed to the slowness
of the construction process and it was never finished, nor was the plan
for repairs prepared in 1859 be put into practice due to a lack of
budget. Ironically, the Fort was never used as an element of defense
against the neighboring islands and their interest in changing the color
of the Isla Nena flag. Rather, as of the second half of the XIX it was
used as a political center for the execution of those who were against
the Spanish administration and its interests.
HISTORIC USE
Historic documents, researched and analyzed by historian Roberto Rabin,
reveal that the Fort was converted into a "jail and instrument of
repression directed against the most humble sectors of the Vieques
working population".
In multiple examples, we see cases of peons accused of carrying illegal
arms and incarcerated after receiving sentencing. The ringleaders of a
group of laborers from Tortola suffered the same luck upon rising up to
defend the freedom of an unjustly jailed co-worker. They ended up
accompanying him in the Fort's prison.
In almost all of the documented cases, the Fort was used as prison and
execution site of workers from other islands of the Caribbean who
labored on various haciendas of the island. One notorious case was the
incarceration of one of the children of Don Tefilo Le Guillou,
considered the Town's founder. Constant Le Guillou endured a brief
period of incarceration for his link with the Island's group of French
and his discontent with the political and military Governor of the
Island, Don Francisco Sainz. The French residents of the Island wanted
to prepare a letter addressed to the French Consulate in Puerto Rico,
protesting the supposed misappropriation of funds and materials by Sainz
from the construction of the Island Church. The refusal to loan a set
of oxen for work on the Church cost Le Guillou several days in jail. A
few month after this incident, Governor Sainz was withdrawn from his
position. The use of the Fort as a jail not only is reflected in
historic documentation from the last century and the beginning of this
one, but also is recalled in the oral tradition.
A poem taken from the book Vieques antiguo y moderno (Vieques, Old and
New) by J. Pastor Ruiz, tells us:
When you write to my mother
please tell her for me
that in this Fort on Vieques
I have been left to die.
Mother of mine, don not suffer
too much, do not start to cry;
for on the sixth day of January
I will leave this jail.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING
The Conde de Mirasol Fort is a nucleus of defense consisting of a
military building enclosed in a system of rubble walls with bastions in
its angles. Only the original three facing the South and one facing he
North have been conserved. The others that would have completed the
section were never constructed. The fort walls vary in height according
to the natural contour of the hill on which it rests. At the top, the
width of the wall varies from 30 to 36 inches. At the base, it varies
from six to eight feet wide. The main gate is found at the east curtain
section. On the top of the building, the polygonal section as well as
the rectangular central section is topped with merlons. In the
rectangular central section there are two (2) interior patios, which in
turn make up the roof of the Fort's cisterns.
The interior patio to the north faces toward a simple terrace that looks
toward the hill and the section of wall that was never built. The
building has two floors, or levels, the first being smaller because it
follows the land's natural undulation. This first level has entrances
at the North and East facades, this last one being the main one that
accesses a wooden staircase leading to the second floor or level. From
this level the entire view of the our sides is seen over and above the
walls. The natural decline and two external brick staircases also give
access tot he Fort o the South, coming is through the roofed walkway
connecting the rectangular and polygonal sections. Within this polygon
is found nailed into the ground and stone a square cell that had a heavy
stone lid.
THE RESTORATION PROJECT
The purpose of the Fort's recovery project was to completely restore the
original structures. For this reason, the construction project followed
the plan from the building and walls' original shapes and elements of
anew or modern design which would contrast with the architectural
-historic vocabulary wee not made a part of it. The walls were cleaned
and repaired, the main building was completely repaired and plastered
using a mixture with a base of hydrated lime and sand and a minimum
portion of portland cement. Fortunately, all of the fenestration kept
the original wooden frames, which, although they were pulled from their
original moldings by the force of Hurricane Hugo last year, they were
reinstalled and used. For these frames solid doors and windows were
made from planks of wood with wooden crossbars incrusted in the brick
wall. We hope that a next hurricane will not leave us without doors or
windows.
The building kept its original beams, which, due to the lack of
maintenance had almost all the heads rotten or damaged. All of the
beams were repaired on site and reinforced by a system of pop beams and
brackets in order to continue with the original pattern of beams,
wooden frames , and brick: The brick floor wee repaired and restored
with historic brick which were contemporaneous at the time of the Fort's
construction. This was done thanks to one of the existing bricks at the
Fort that belonged to the chimney at the Santa Mara hacienda. This is
the case of a historic monument from which the past administration took
its life to bring another back. The original drain system was
uncovered, unclogged, and put into operation. On both patios, the
openings of the cisterns were repaired and reconstructed, the entire
roof was waterproofed with a Danosa system to eliminate leaks toward the
interior. The north cistern was put to use as a warehouse. One of its
walls was perforated to make a door with a cell type gate for security
of what is kept there,. To solve the floor problem, the same was done
in wood on a platform, a temporary measure that allows the total
recovery of the original space at any time. The main wooden staircase
was repaired using the existing pattern and without altering the
original elements.
As the only element new on the existing ones, a pedestrian walk was
constructed on the east side connecting the access ramp from the street
of the Fort. All of this walk is built of mortar with a canary tile
border. The mortar uses ground brick left over from the construction
and the canary, although modern, follows the pattern, texture, and color
of that existing at the Fort. Although the reading of the material is
different from the original materials, it also does not drastically
clash the purpose of the whole project, which is to return one of the
most valuable historical monuments back to the Vieques community.
Abandoned for several decades, it became forgotten and the continuous
and massive lack of maintenance turned it into a ruin without any
practical use. At the time of Dr. Ricardo Alegra there was a project
to begin restoration, but the lack of a budget did not allow finishing
the project. After thirteen month of work on overtime, and with a total
budget limited to $750,000.00, the Compana Remodelaciones Campos ended
the restoration of the castle in the month of March. Once the
habilitation phase of the exhibition rooms is completed, it will be the
Vieques Museum of Anthropology, History and Art.
PLAN FOR PROPOSED USE
At the present, the Yaureibo Cultural Center, attached to the Institute
of Puerto Rican Culture has the total use of the first floor of the
building. In it they have installed their offices, private bathrooms,
conference room, and multiple use area. The Vieques Historic Archives
will also be installed. At the time of and before the formal
inauguration of the Fort, the Center had already put up two shows, held
several conferences, presented books of interest for the community, and
held workshops on teaching the cuatro, woodworking, folkloric dancing,
tapestry weaving, and the showing of cultural and artistic films. This
has all happened since the month of December, 1990 to the present. On
the second floor expositions devoted to the Island's Archeology, its
history, Architecture and Art will be set up. A multiple use area has
also been destined for use-the polygonal section. there is also a space
for public bathrooms, a storage room, and a kitchen. The various uses
proposed for the building and the ones already in use reflect the
interest of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture in giving a dynamic
role to the Fort, to which diverse cultural organizations fro the Island
will have access. Among then there are the Yaureibo Cultural Center,
the Fort's Trustee, founded by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture
Board of Directors last June 1990, the Vieques Collection, the Vieques
Historic and Archaeological Conservation Trusteeship, and the local
Education Department system.
* (Conference presented by Ignacio Olazagasti, Assitant Director of the
Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, International Symposia on Historic
Monuments. San Felipe del Morro Castle, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 15 May,
1991.)
El Fortn Conde de Mirasol: Historia y
Restauracin
R. Rabin
La restauracin del Fortn Conde de Mirasol de la Isla de Vieques y la
creacin del museo de arte e historia viequense fue parte del Programa
de Mejoras Permanentes de la Divisin de Zonas y Monumentos Histricos
del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquea (ICP) para los aos 1989 a
1991. El proyecto de remodelacin fue sufragado en su totalidad por
fondos del Estado Libre Asociado destinados para estos fines en el ICP.
El presupuesto asignado al proyecto asciende a sobre $700,000.00
dlares. (El costo real del trabajo se estima en casi un milln de
dlares).
El Sr. Ignacio Olazagasti, Director Auxiliar de Investigacin y Estudio
del ICP, se encarg de la supervisin general del proyecto de
remodelacin y la preparacin del museo en el Fortn. Se contrat al
Profesor Roberto Rabin, historiador viequense, para realizar la
investigacin histrica sobre el Fuerte y para la museografa. Desde la
apertura del Museo Fuerte Conde de Mirasol en agosto de 1991, el
profesor Rabin dirige el proyecto para el Programa de Museos y Parques
del ICP.
Un poco de historia
El Fortn, localizado en la Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico, es un ejemplo
tpico del sistema de fortificaciones espaolas del Siglo Diecinueve.
Situado en una colina que domina la vista del Pueblo de Isabel Segunda y
el Puerto de Mulas, su construccin empez en 1845 por orden del
Gobernador de Puerto Rico, Don Rafael de Arstegui (1843-1847), tambin
conocido como el "Conde de Mirasol." El Gobernador orden al Ingeniero
Don Diego Galvez la construccin del Fortn, montando cuatro piezas de
artillera mirando hacia el puerto y con un edificio que pudiera
acomodar una guarnicin de cincuenta hombres.
El Fortn Conde de Mirasol es un ncleo de defensa que consiste de un
edificio principal y un sistema de murallas de mampostera. Las paredes
de las murallas varan en altura de acuerdo al contorno natural de la
colina en que descansa. En el tope, el ancho de la muralla varia de 30
a 36 pulgadas. En la base, vara de 6 a 8 pies de ancho. El sistema
completo tiene 150 pies de largo y 70 pies de ancho. Tiene dos
cisternas que servan para la recoleccin del agua de lluvia. Debido a
problemas presupuestarios, el sistema de murallas nunca pudo ser
terminado, quedando la parte estrellada del costado sur sin construir.
Durante la segunda mitad del siglo diez y nueve y las primeras dcadas
del veinte, el Fortn se utiliz como crcel. Esclavos rebeldes,
jornaleros levantados en las haciendas azucareras, autonomistas y
separatistas de Puerto Rico "desterrados" a Vieques y obreros de las
centrales azucareras de principios de este siglo fueron encarcelados en
el Fortn. Entre 1862 y 1865 un grupo de 25 prisioneros de guerra
dominicanos se encarcelaron en el Fuerte de Vieques, donde fueron
obligados a trabajar en los caminos del pueblo. El edificio sigui como
la crcel municipal de Vieques hasta la primera parte del siglo veinte.
En 1915, durante la huelga de los obreros agrcolas, se encarcelaron
decenas de miembros de la Federacin Libre de Trabajadores.
Ya para mediados de los 1940's, el Fortn es abandonado por el gobierno
municipal y empieza un peligroso deterioro de su planta fsica. Con el
establecimiento del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquea en la prxima
dcada, comienza una serie de proyectos mnimos para estabilizar el
edificio. No fue hasta 1989, sin embargo, que un programa completo de
remodelacin empez hasta inaugurar las facilidades del Museo Fortn
Conde de Mirasol el 31 de agosto de 1991.
El Museo
El Museo de Arte e Historia de Vieques en la segunda planta del Fortn
consiste de tres salas de exhibiciones permanentes que ofrecen al
visitante una mirada hacia el pasado viequense. Una sala de Artes
Plsticas provee espacio para exhibiciones itinerantes de artesana,
dibujo, fotografa, pintura, tanto de artistas locales como de la Isla
Grande de Puerto Rico. Dos salas de conferencia y de exhibiciones
especiales han sido habilitados en el edificio para uso de las entidades
culturales-educativas de Vieques.
La Sala de Culturas Indgenas "Cacimar y Yaureibo," nombrada por los
ltimos caciques tanos viequenses, incluye muestras de material
arqueolgico de Vieques representativo de los diversos grupos culturales
que habitaron la Isla. Fotografas, serigrafas y texto informan sobre
la vida de los primeros pobladores de Biek.
En la Sala de Procesos Histricos se presenta la historia de la Isla
Nena desde la conquista espaola en 1514 hasta el presente. Armas
indgenas y espaolas del siglo XVI, artefactos del periodo colonial
espaol y de principios de este siglo, mapas y otras grficas describen
cinco siglos de historia de Vieques. Un recinto dedicado a la visita de
Simn Bolvar a Vieques (1816) y al General fajardeo Antonio Valero y
una gran coleccin de mapas britnicos, daneses, espaoles, franceses y
estadounidenses de los siglos XVII al XX forman otras exhibiciones de la
Sala de Procesos Histricos. Una seccin sobre la presencia de la
Marina de Guerra de Estados Unidos en la Isla, su control sobre 3/4
partes del territorio y la lucha del pueblo viequense por el rescate de
sus tierras terminan esta sala.
La Sala del Patrimonio Arquitectnico de Vieques ofrece un panorama
arquitectnica-histrica del desarrollo urbano de la Isla. Fotografas,
planos antiguos, materiales de construccin, herramientas y otros
artefactos relacionados con la arquitectura histrica del pueblo de
Isabel Segunda se encuentran en las vitrinas y exhibiciones de paredes.
Una representacin fotogrfica con texto describe el proceso de
remodelacin del Fortn. Arquitectura funeraria, grficas relativos a
los dos faros espaoles de Vieques y materiales recopilados de las
ruinas de las centrales azucareras de de la Isla tambin se incluyen en
esta parte del museo.
Una cuarta sala se reserva para exhibiciones itinerantes de Artes
Plsticas. Artesana puertorriquea, esculturas, fotografas, pinturas,
serigrafas y otros medios artsticos se exhiben aqu. En la Sala de
Exposiciones
Especiales de la primera planta del Fuerte, se presenta una serie de
exhibiciones de arte, fotografa y otras presentaciones.
Adems del museo y salas de conferencias, el Fuerte alberga la oficina
del Centro Cultural Yaureibo y el Archivo Histrico de Vieques. El
Archivo es un centro de investigaciones socio-histrica sobre Vieques
que contiene la ms amplia coleccin de documentos, libros,
audio-visuales y otros materiales para el estudio de la Isla Nena.
Desde la inauguracin del Museo en 1991, decenas de miles de personas,
tanto de Vieques como de la Isla Grande, Islas Vrgenes, Estados Unidos
y Europa, han visitado este monumento histrico de la Isla Nena. Grupos
estudiantiles reciben en el Fortn una orientacin completa sobre la
historia-arquitectnica del edificio, la historia de Vieques y una
visita guiada a travs del Museo.
(Basada en un artculo publicado en PATRIMONIO, de la Oficina Estatal de
Preservacin Histrica en 1993. Revisado, mayo de 1998)
EL FORTIN HOME ISLAND HISTORY ACTIVITIES VIEQUES INFORMATION
