[4] It is located in the region of Vale do Paraíba; prominent individuals from the area include Saint Frei Galvão, Brazilian President Rodrigues Alves and the cardiologist Dr Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini.

[5] Since early times, Guaratinguetá was known by the Indians of the region for the abundance of herons that lived on the edges of the Paraíba do Sul river.

The first Portuguese settlers arrived at the end of the 16th century, after rumours of mineral wealth hidden in Serra da Mantiqueira, in the lands known today as Minas Gerais.

On February 13, 1651, by intervention of Captain Domingos Leme, a village was raised for the Saint Antonio of Guaratinguetá, with the opening of the main road.

During the 18th century, Guaratinguetá became the main point of supply for the gold miners coming from Minas Gerais as commerce on the route developed.

Diogo Antônio de Feijó, future priest and regent of the empire of Dom Pedro II, studied in Guaratinguetá with the Manoel Frank Gonçalves during the years of 1795 and 1798.

During the Brazilian independence, Dom Pedro I spend the night in the city on August 18 of 1822, stimulating more economic development, and more growth in the coffee industry.

The end of the 19th century marked the inauguration of a theater Carlos Gomes, Da Ponte Metálica, the Banco Popular, the market, the water supply, the urban net of sewer and the installation of the first pertained Grupo Escolar in the city in the building Dr. Flamínio Lessa.