▁the ▁administrative ▁center ▁( se at ) ▁of ▁Cor oz al , ▁a ▁municipality ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁Its ▁population ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁was ▁ 2 , 6 3 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁was ▁custom ary ▁in ▁Spain , ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁the ▁municipality ▁has ▁a ▁bar rio ▁called ▁pueblo ▁which ▁contains ▁a ▁central ▁pla za , ▁the ▁municipal ▁buildings ▁( city ▁hall ), ▁and ▁a ▁Catholic ▁church . ▁F iest as ▁patron ales ▁( pat ron ▁saint ▁festiv als ) ▁are ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁pla za ▁every ▁year . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁from ▁Spain ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish - American ▁War ▁under ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Paris ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁conducted ▁its ▁first ▁census ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁finding ▁that ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Cor oz al ▁bar rio - p ue blo ▁( P ue blo ) ▁was ▁ 1 , 0 5 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁central ▁pla za ▁history ▁The ▁central ▁pla za , ▁or ▁square , ▁is ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁official ▁and ▁uno fficial ▁recre ational ▁events ▁and ▁a ▁place ▁where ▁people ▁can ▁gather ▁and ▁social ize ▁from ▁d usk ▁to ▁dawn . ▁The ▁La ws ▁of ▁the ▁Ind ies , ▁Spanish ▁law , ▁which ▁reg ulated ▁life ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁stated ▁the ▁pla za ' s ▁purpose