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There can be no doubt that Casa de Campo and the surrounding countryside is the kind of tropical paradise dream vacations are made of. However, for those of you wanting to discover a little of the history and culture of the country, a visit to the center of La Romana could be exactly what you’re looking for.
In the beginning, La Romana was a small port town at the mouth of the river Romana, whose first buildings, dating back to 1852, were not more than a dozen wooden houses with thatched palm roofs. Over the years and after the arrival of the first traders, these primitive homes gave way to buildings of stone and cement. They lined up in the first blocks of land, now the avenues we call Richiez Ducoudray Francisco, Castillo Marquez, Teofilo Ferry and Santa Rosa.
Central Park, La Romana
Sadly very little remains of the characteristic architecture of that era, whose urban beauty garnered the nickname “Flor del Este” (Flower of the East). As the old town has given way to modern buildings, scattered amongst the new homes and buildings, are just a handful of original “casas antiguas” (old homes).
Fortunately, for those seeking a little historical nourishment without stepping too far off the beaten path, most of these “casas antiguas” can be easily found in the center of the town, located around the Parque Central (Central Park).
The park we see today dates from the year 2000. The original was destroyed by Hurricane Georges in 1998, and was built in 1929. It boasted a beautiful building of Mediterranean design, benches that resembled marble, as well as tall mahogany trees and was much larger, stretching across the Diego Avila and Trinitaria streets.
At the corner of today’s park, we find the Club Recreativo (between the Duarte and Doctor Gonzalvo roads), former home to the offices of the La Romana provincial government. Today the Club Recreativo, a beautiful cream and green building with a garden and wrap-around porch, is a recreational club, used by the community to celebrate different events and occasions. Next door is the bright pink Roma restaurant, another original building dating back to the 20th century, as was Don Quijote, one of La Romana’s first ever restaurants. Neighboring Roma, Don Quijote has now been replaced by an out of place modern structure. Meanwhile across the street, in a building now occupied by a beauty store called “Perfumeria Dinorah” is where the Bureau of Internal Revenue used to be.
Banco León, La Romana
On the opposite corner of the park, we find the former headquarters of the Royal Bank, now occupied by the Banco León. And located on yet another corner of the park is the “Palacio del Ayuntamiento”, or rather the City Hall, which was inaugurated in 1936. Despite undergoing restorations, the original design can still be seen, and the building has even retained all of its original parts. In its 77 year history, the City Hall has always been used as the office of the Major of La Romana.
Outside of the park, on the Richiez Ducoudray Francisco road, one of La Romana’s original roads, you will see the old police headquarters, now the fire department, as well as the former headquarters of the Dominican Party, a political entity of the Trujillo era, which is now the current headquarters of the National Police.
While the rich architectural heritage of La Romana continues to fade away, an echo of a time gone by still remains. Be sure to take a look at the original stone buildings on your next trip into La Romana.
This article was originally published in the 8th issue of TODO Casa de Campo. TODO Casa de Campo #12 will be published very soon, expect to see it in distribution from mid-December.
