Toa Alta is a municipality of Puerto Rico. Located west of the capital city of San Juan, the town was founded in 1751 making it one of the oldest towns on the Island. The contruction of the San Fernando Rey church in the town square began in 1752. The name Toa Alta comes from the Taino word for valley, "Thoa". Over the years, agriculture became an important economic force in the area. At the peak of the agricultural economy, the town was also known as the "Granja de los Reyes Catolicos" (the Farm of the Catholic Kings). The town is also called "Ciudad del Josco". The town is commonly known by its nickname "La Cuna de los Poetas," or "Cradle of Poets," due to the numerous Spanish-language poets that were born there, such as Abelardo Diaz Alfaro and the musician Tomas "Masso" Rivera. The town is also the birthplace of Dayanara Torres, Miss Universe 1993 and former wife of salsa-star Marc Anthony.