Due to its architectonic and historical values, the natal house of the first romantic poet in America, José María Heredia, is under restoration to keep one of the relics from colonial epoch at Santiago de Cuba.

Located in a populous cultural avenue having as name, that belonging to the author of Oda al Niágara, it became a museum to make the work of this Cuban intellectual endure, as forge of patriotic feelings and nationality.

As soon as it re-opened its doors, the museable objects, such as documents, paintings and others, will be enriched by the most recent contributions from Heredia's descendants, living in Santiago de Cuba.

We will find also, the Heredian Study Center, an institution devoted to promote life and work from who José Martí considered as ''The First Poet of America'', in this place also, one of the most fervent desires of our Apostol will be fulfilled when wanting all Cubans remember ''the glory of who exalted with his heart, the beauties from his adored Cuba''. The original image of the house will be kept, although some objects to delimit the space will be placed to protect the facade from public and vehicles traffic.

La Oficina del Conservador is in charge of this building restoration, born around XVIII century, working on floors, walls, covers and the place where stairs and rail are located. The yard, one of its main attractions, is also under re-building.

In 1803, the poet's parents arrived to Santiago de Cuba and according to some researches, the property was hired or borrowed to the marriage. On December 31 of that year, José María Heredia was born. After three years, the family left the country and the house served as hospital and bunkhouse for slaves, remaining afterwards abandoned, in ruins.

At the end of XIX century, a group of patriots created the Junta Heredia Association, gathering delegates living in and out of the island, having as main goal the rescuing of Heredia's ideal to convert this center in a major diffusor of his thoughts and José Martí was one of its main contributors.

Heredia was a restless conspirator against Spanish opression in the so-called conspiration ''Rayos y Soles de Bolívar'', motive of his further expatriation. Submerged into deep sorrows and loneliness, he got sick from tuberculosis and died on May 7, 1839, being only 35 years old.

Courtesy of the Digital Page from Trabajadores Newspaper. Santiago de Cuba, February 15th, 2003 (AIN).