Yigo, Guam
Village
Ritidian Point, the northernmost point on Guam, in theGuam National Wildlife Refuge
Location of Yigo within the Territory of Guam.
Country	United States
Territory	Guam
Government
• Mayor	Frances S. Lizama (D)
• Vice Mayor	Pedro S. Blas (D)
Area
• Total	35 sq mi (90 km2)
Elevation	587 ft (179 m)
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	19,339
Time zone	UTC+10 (ChST)

Yigo, Guam (Chamorro:Yigu; pronounced/ˈdʒiːɡoʊ/) is the northernmost village of theUnited States territory ofGuam, and is the location ofAndersen Air Force Base. Themunicipality of Yigo is the largest village on the island in terms of area. It contains a number of populated places, includingAsatdas andAgafo Gumas.

The origin of the name "Yigo" is contested. Some state that it is derived from the Spanish wordyugo, meaning "yoke". However, some sources refer to the area asAsyigo, meaning "the home of the person Yigo." Any record of such a person has been lost.^[2]

Before contact with Europeans, Yigo had a large number of villages.Latte stone structure remnants aroundMount Santa Rosa andMataguac indicate significant populations. During theSpanish-Chamorro Wars of the late seventeenth century, settlements in Yigo includedHanom,Tarague,Hinapsan, and Upi (nowNorthwest Field). Hanom, in particular, was a critical refuge because of its freshwater spring. The August 1679 defeat of the CHamorus at Hanom by a force of Spaniards and their allies fromNisihan led byJosé de Quiroga y Losada was one of the fiercest battles of the conflict. Following the subjugation of the CHamoru, the much reduced population was relocated to six villages centered on churches in the center and south of the island. Northern areas, including Yigo, were open to hunters and fishermen but not settlement.^[2]

In the early nineteenth century, wealthy residents ofHagåtña began purchasing fertile land in Yigo for agricultural uses. The area became known for producingcocoa beans, used to makehot chocolate for Hagåtña residents, as well ascoffee,avocado,citrus, andcopra. Upi was an important center of cattle ranching, while copra plantations were located along the northern coast, in particular. Following theSpanish–American War and beginning of the American administration, some Chamorus began to permanently settle in the north. The first elementary school in the area opened in 1912 and, in 1919, the U.S. administration authorized 25-year land use permits in Yigo. Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel was constructed in 1920; previously, Yigo residents journeyed to Hagåtña for mass. The first village store was started in 1925. However, by 1940, Yigo remained sparsely population with about 40 families.^[2]

During theJapanese occupation of Guam from 1941 to 1944, some Hagåtña residents moved to Yigo to get away from the occupying Japanese force.^[2] The village was the site of a concentration camp during Japanese occupation of the island.^{[citation needed]} The final battle between Japanese and American forces during theBattle of Guam occurred in Yigo on August 7 and 8, 1944, resulting in the destruction of the chapel and many homes.^[2] The South Pacific Memorial Peace Park was built by the Japanese Government and is dedicated to the many Japanese and American soldiers who died in the battle of Guam.

Following the war, the population of Yigo soared, first as it accommodated displaced persons from the south and then non-Chamorus who moved to Guam. The economy reoriented from agriculture towards the presence ofAndersen Air Force Base and the population continued to grow with the construction of housing subdivisions throughout the village.^[2]

TheFederal government of the United States owns portions of the land in Yigo; the Government of Guam stated that it was one of several villages that are "characterized primarily by the large proportion of land owned by the federal government".^[4]

Yigo, served by theGuam Department of Education, has several kindergarten through 5th grade elementary schools:

• Daniel L. Perez Elementary School (formerly Yigo Elementary School)
• Machananao Elementary School
• Upi Elementary School
• F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School, formerly an elementary school until 1981, when it was converted into a middle school, andSimon Sanchez High School are in Yigo. Sanchez opened as a junior high school in 1974; the school became a high school in 1982 to serve north-eastern Guam.^[5]

Simon Sanchez became a high school in 1982. The first graduating class graduated in May 1983.^{[citation needed]}

In regards to theDepartment of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), Yigo is in the school transportation zone for Andersen Elementary and Andersen Middle School, whileGuam High School is the island's sole DoDEA high school.^[6]

TheU.S. Census Bureau has the municipality in multiplecensus-designated places:Andersen Air Force Base,^[7]Anao,^[8]Chaguian,^[9]Mataguac,^[10]North Gayinero,^[11] and South Gayinero.^[12]

• Villages of Guam

• Rogers, Robert F. (1995).Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam. University of Hawai'i Press.ISBN 0-8248-1678-1.

• Yigo GuamArchived 2025-02-02 at theWayback Machine at Guam Portal
• Yigo Map from PDN
• PDN Village MapsArchived 2012-12-08 atarchive.today
• "Municipalities of Guam".Statoids.

13°32′04″N144°53′08″E / 13.53444°N 144.88556°E /13.53444; 144.88556

• Yigo, Guam

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