The Streets of Güines. The Origin of Their Names

Named after Don Domingo de la Luz Alvárez, Mayor of Güines in 1824. That year, Luz Alvárez beautified the town’s main square, la Plaza de la Villa, including a monument to King Ferdinand VII. The square remained this way until 1847 when it was rebuilt by Lieutenant Governor Alejandro Gasser, and it was renamed Plaza de O’Donell.

This street begins at Máximo Gómez Street and ends at Amistad Street. It is named after Don Matías José Duarte, a renowned resident of Havana. He became a Roman Catholic priest and was assigned several appointments, but when the English conquered Havana he left the Church and joined the Aragón batallion. He raised to the Captain and was transferred to Güines in 1801. He did many a great service for the town and as a reward the town named this street after him.

Named after the Havana statesman Don Francisco de Arango [y] Parreño, who for many years helped Güines in many ways, including the donation of a school, an investment of over 30,000 Cuban pesos, a handsome sum at that time.

This ancient street starts at Maceo Street and ends at the railway. It is so named because there had been a military barrack (cuartel) on this street for a long time. In 1817 a wooden barrack located between Reina and Concha burned down. The town bought a building directly across the main square and converted it to a barrack as a replacement. To this day, the troops and administration of the Constitutional Army remain headquartered at this location.

This street runs parallel to, and is as long as, Cuarteles Street. It is named after Don Inocencio de las Peñas y Magallar, a one time Lieutenant Governor of this town. Thanks to his efforts, the Escuela Arango [y] Parreño school was reopened in 1862.

So named because it is the road that leads to Cuba’s capital.

The whole street runs from Arango Street to the railway; General Dulce refers to the portion of it that runs between the railway and San Julián Street. It is named after Captain General Don Domingo Dulce.

The whole street runs from Arango Street to the railway; Gasser refers to the portion of it that runs between Arango and San Julián Streets. It is named after Don Alejandro Gasser, a Lieutenant Governor of Güines who in 1847 rebuilt the town’s main square and renamed it Plaza de O’Donell.

This street starts at Pinillos Street and ends at Valdes Street. It is named after Cuba’s Captain General Don José Gutierrez de la Concha, Marquis of Havana.

Named after Mr. Ignacio de Herrera y O’Farrill, Marquis of Almendares. He built his home on this street, between Habana y Peñas Streets, across from the town's main square.

Named after the discoverer of the New World.

Named after the patron saint of Güines.

Named after Cuba’s Captain General, Don Miguel Tacón.

This short street runs for one block, between Duarte and Gasser Streets. It is so named because the first Güines hospital was built there. That hospital, named “La Pura y Límpia Concepción” (“Of the Pure and Inmaculate Conception”), was founded in 1766 by Bishop Don Pedro Agustín Morell de Santa Cruz.

It was named for the wife of Captain General of the Island Don Domingo Dulce. It was called La Ceiba Street (Kapok Tree Street) from Beneficencia Street to the Gasmeter due to a kapok tree which existed in such section; from Beneficencia Street to Cuatro Palmas Street it was called Real Street and from this point towards the town’s outskirts it was named The Rice Machine Street because of the rice mill that still exists at the end of such Street. Before that, it was called Inland Street. The name Luisa Dulce Street was given to the whole street in 1870.

Named after Lieutenant Governor of Güines Don Gaspar de Reina. Earlier, it was called Cuartel Street.

This street begins at Máximo Gómez^[10] Street and ends at Maceo. Its name stems from the fact that here were four palm trees (i.e., cuatro palmas) at the corner with Máximo Gómez Street (aka.  Real). Cuatro Palmas was Güines' first commercial street.