[3][4][5] Espinar is located near the Culebrinas River and is named after a Franciscan priest who founded a convent there.

Later on, Franciscan priests erected a new church over the ruins of the first and, to this day, religious services are held there.

In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Espinar and Carrizal barrios was 1,010.

[9] The Puente de Coloso, a bridge used during the height of sugarcane production in Puerto Rico is located near Espinar.

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions)[16] in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (sectors in English).