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Hagatna
Home » Guam » Guam - Major Cities and Regions » HagatnaHagatna, former called (and still sometimes referred to as) Agana, is the capital of Guam and is located on the west of the island. The village had just over a thousand residents in its last census all living in the tiny dot on the map of Guam’s shore (only 1 mi²), making it one of the most urban villages of small physical area.
Even before the Spanish took over Guam, Hagatna was a renowned village. However, the Spanish’s arrival and the donation of the land by the Chief to the Church caused most of the indigenous people to have to move to the city, making it even more prominent. Hagatna was the seat of government when Spain was in Guam and remained that way when Guam was purchased by the United States. By the middle of the 1900s, nearly 10,000 people lived in the tiny city – over half of the population of Guam!
Unfortunately, the village of Hagatna was damaged horribly by naval attack during World War II, but the U.S. Navy formed a reconstruction plan that involved building new city streets and other systems to help rebuild the city. Still, many of the former residents settled in other areas of the island. Today, those visiting Hagatna will still be able to see building remains of the Spanish era, the very famous Latte Park, and miles of beautiful beaches and hills.
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