The town was formerly known as Blanco (White) or Pueblo Blanco (White
Town), possibly after the many Spaniards who came to trade timber. Due
to its shape and location, Luperon bay is ideal for sheltering from
hurricanes, and many boats anchor there during the hurricane season.
Although
there is no record of early inhabitants, it is said that Christopher
Columbus had to enter the bay to protect his ships from a storm.
Columbus named it "Bahia de Gracias" (Thanksgiving Bay), the current
official name.
The current mayor is Danilo Morrobel of the Dominican
Liberation Party (PLD in Spanish), who after a few failed attempts
finally beat Mario Martinez of the PRD party to become the local mayor.
The
slain dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo had plans to elevate Luperon to
the status of province but was killed a few months before he was due to
do it.
Three of the better-known families are the Morrobel, Cueto
and Villamán families. They were the pioneers of this town, and their
numbers continue to grow. Luperón's beaches have made it well known as a
prime vacation location.In recent years, a great number of Luperonians
have moved abroad mainly to Spain, where most them have continue to work
within the resort and catering industry.
The bay contains extensive mangroves, unique to Hispaniola, and is an ecological habitat for many species
Unlike
most of the towns in the northern part of the island, also known as
Cibao, Luperon does not have a big rooster fights fan base. The sport is
legal in the Dominican Republic and followed by thousands in the
country. It has an arena where, every Friday afternoon, the cockfights
take place. Money is made out of bets and the entrance fee. The sport
though is not as big in Luperón as in the other towns in the Puerto
Plata province.
Every year the town holds a heavily attended softball
tournament. This takes place every Saturday and Sunday at
