The batalla de Santa Rosa

The national park of Santa Rosa was founded in commemoration of the battle of Santa Rosa and Rivas.
The unscrupulous North American commander William Walker was struggling to turn the Central American states into slavery states and to incorporate them into the Southern States of USA. In March 1856, his troops out of war-hungry outlaws set off from Nicaragua to the south and invaded Costa Rican territory.

Luckily, the Costa Rican were informed early enough by their representative in Washington so that they activated military forces for a battle against the unsuspecting enemy. Mercenaries and inexperienced small farmers armed themselves and marched from San José to the north until they met the invaders on March 20th 1856 in Santa Rosa.

During bloody struggles the brave Juan Santamaria went to the hiding place of the enemy, an old wooden fort in order to set fire. In this way, the Costa Ricans bate and expelled the surprised troops of William Walker after a quite short time and marked up an incredible victory which guaranteed their own independence.

Today, Juan Santamaria is celebrated as the national hero and in order to keep him in honor, the international airport San José bears his name. William Walker who did not appear at the battle was shot some years later.