The previous headquarter was destroyed in 1910.

  The first Military Headquarters in Cartago was built by the great Costa Rican ex-president Jesus   Jimenez, at the same place where the actual building is. It was a solid building; its quite long walls   measured almost a meter of width and in it gave place for the military, composed of more than   hundreds of soldiers on their bosses’ charges.

  1910’s earthquake hit the main part of the building, the façade fell down completely and the inner   walls were totally trashed. In a total ruin, the hard building was naturally useless, the demolition did   not wait long and it was just one of many constructions that fell after dynamites blow ups. Two   years after, during the first administration of Ricardo Jimenez, the construction of an English   Construction Company, made of steal and prepared cement.


Some official dispositions after the earthquake

All Cartago destroyed, desolated and uncertainty ran all around the town and close neighbors. Vandalism appeared which is one of the things that are develop after a catastrophe. One of the first dispositions by the government was to declare the place state, ordering a weaponry group of 1500 soldiers in charge of Colonel Gerardo Zuniga Montufar. In the field of the same headquarter was established to make GALERONES to be occupied by the Headquarter and the establishment of the general INTENDENCIA that provided food to the families left in the city.

Once taken charge of the army by Ricardo Jimenez, most of the activities were directed to ease the moods and to reconstruct the city. For a better control of the situation the city was divided in two areas: East side and West side. The first one was in charge of Colonel Macario Lopez and his army and the police officers at the headquarters plaza; the second side was in charge of Commander Cesar Calderon.

The West area, which had the settling at the Iglesias Field, was in charge of Colonel Zuniga Montufar who ruled with his officers Manuel Arriba, secretary colonel Alfredo Anderson, foreman colonel Ezequiel Sáenz, Plaza boss colonel S. Holguin, police chief Mayor Slotejamson, second police officer commander and many more, established for guard service and the weekly service. After eight o’clock at night, to stay out was not allowed. On many places of the city some sentinels were located to forbid people’s pass. The only permission given was for those who had a personal permit by any of the two commanders. Colonel’s Montufar troop was in charge of building demolition and garden cleaning so their owners can easily reconstruct their house. In charge of Manuel Jesus Jimenez it was the street reconstruction, is he, who we owe the great street system that Cartago has. There was also a section for people with dynamite, who where in charge of demolishing big building of hard materials; such as San Francisco’s Temple, the Headquarters, Peace Palace, Carmen’s Temple, among others. All of these were work of an American man, Mr. Krieger.


Military band Body

Two years after the earthquake, the Military band was reestablished, just like in many other provinces. It had a space for 31 musicians and one director, this number got higher during the administration of Francisco Aguilar Barquero. Magnificent representatives have come from Cartago’s Band, who knows how to honor the musical art. Regarding the director the most remembered are Alcides Prado, Efrain Prado, Jose Angel Munoz and Barrantes. The band has a great study hall independent from the headquarters. The instructions were given on a regular basis except on Saturdays. The concerts, just like in San Jose, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Due to the listeners variety and the variety on taste, the directors used to play with them, light music and opera.


Director Manuel J. Freer

Manuel J. Freer has served as director of several bands, he is an artist, his life has been developed in a constant music study. He worked as a director of Liberia’s band during the administration of Gonzalez Viquez. In 1910 he moved to Limon as that band director, which was enlarged with musicians from the area. And, since 1912, with a few interruptions, works there as their director. He is a teacher of Ideal certificate to teach music at official schools and in several occasions he has received a job offer in San Jose, but he has denied the honor due to his comfort at the place he is.

On the counterpart, a jail was built, where some men and women departments are. It is pretty safe, built with hard walls and doors and windows with thick steal bars. On the outside there are high walls that make prisoners almost impossible to escape. Nevertheless, some cases have been registered that prisoners escaped by jumping out of the walls, risking their lives while jumping to the outside. But it is not everybody who dares to do such a project.
During the past administration of Jimenez, Colonel Manuel Escoto worked as a Jail Mayor, then it was Mayor Guillermo Perez Peralta. The engineers section was composed by Count Bremsud as the boss, Luis Lach, Mateo Alvertazzi, and Victorio Pino, who were in charge of building demolition, street cleaning, and construction vigilance. The section called “blood”, has as objective to pick up the shatter pieces. The boss was Antonio Pimentel, Romulo PIcado, Oscar Otoya, among others. They also took care of cleaning up the pieces. These and so many other things were the dispositions given by the government after the terrible incident.


Two years after the earthquake

Two years after the earthquake when the city was recovering their usual peacefulness, the government established the complete retirement of the military army, leaving only a part of the police department for the safety of the population.

On the most recent administration of Ricardo Jimenez, were first and second commander of the plaza Colonel Ezequiel Saenz, and Mayor Patricio Arias, since they worked until the ends of that administration.

Ubicación: Cartago, Av. 6, St. 2-4