El Fuerte in Sinaloa, Mexico, was once the capital of Arizona
Prior to the founding of San Juan de Carapoa (later renamed El Fuerte de Montesclaros) by Francisco de Ibarra in 1564, relatively little is known of the early Indian peoples living in the Fuerte valley...
read more
Did You Know? Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in USA than Mexico
Of the many battles fought on Mexican soil in the nineteenth century, only one— the Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862— has given rise to a Mexican national holiday. Why this one? The main rea...
read more
Did you know? The Green Revolution began in Mexico
Most people probably have a vague idea that the Green Revolution was something to do with improving crops in the developing world, but how many realize that it began in Mexico? In fact, the Green Revol...
read more
Did you know? The first scientific account of Lake Chapala comes from 1839.
The first detailed scientific account of Lake Chapala was written by Henri Guillaume Galeotti. It was based on a visit to Chapala in February-March 1837. The article was published first in French in 18...
read more
Did you know? Mexico's vultures have very different eating habits.
Vultures (zopilotes in Spanish) are among the most conspicuous birds in many parts of Mexico. Commonly misidentified as eagles, these blackish scavengers can be seen almost anywhere, often in large flo...
read more
Did you know? Los Mochis and Topolobampo are both examples of "new towns".
The city of Los Mochis ("Mochees", as locals call it) in the northern state of Sinaloa, is one of Mexico's newest cities. It dates back only as far as 1872, when a U.S. engineer, Albert Kimsey Owen (18...
read more
Did you know? Chihuahua caves house the world's largest crystals
The world’s largest natural crystals (of selenite, said to enhance sex drive) have been discovered in caverns in Chihuahua. Early in 2001, news emerged of a truly extraordinary discovery in caverns d...
read more
Did you know? Cuautla, Mexico, has the world's oldest railway station building.
In the golden age of steam, railway lines were built all over Mexico. Rail quickly became THE way to travel. Depending on your status and wealth, you could travel third class, second class or first cla...
read more
Did you know? The Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey originated in Mexico.
Strange but true; the bird now so closely associated with many festive meals is a direct descendant of the wild turkeys still found in many parts of Mexico. How is it possible that a Mexican bird acqui...
read more
Did you know? 19th century Mexico map maker first sailor through the Georgia Strait, Canada
José María Narváez (1768-1840) is one of Mexico's forgotten heroes. Captain George Vancouver is usually given the credit for exploring the Georgia Strait and discovering the site of the city that no...
read more
Did you know? Many common garden flowers originated in Mexico.
Many common garden flowers were developed from samples collected in Mexico by a German botanist financed by Britain's Horticultural Society. Karl Theodor Hartweg (1812-1871) came from a long line of ga...
read more
Did you know? Mexico has more World Heritage sites than any other country in the Americas.
The status of World Heritage site is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) denomination. The status is conferred on selected sites under the terms of "The Conventi...
read more
Did you know? Mexico has 36 Magic Towns.
One of the Mexican Tourism Secretariat's flagship programs in recent years has been its Magic Towns designation. This is a program after my own heart, and one that was long overdue when it was finally ...
read more
Did you know? Diamonds from tequila.
..."there's gold in them there hills, and diamonds in that there tequila"... I know! You think I'm several sheets to the wind from too many shots of tequila already, even before you read this month's D...
read more
Did you know? Mexico was once the world's major source of pearls.
This month's Did You Know column highlights the pearl, the beautiful birthstone associated with the month of June. The history of pearl collecting in Mexico goes back a very long way. When Spanish expl...
read more
Did you know? An early Jules Verne story was set in Mexico.
An early Juules Verne story by Jules Verne, the science fiction and travel author, was set in Mexico. What's more, he wrote it without ever setting foot in Mexico! Most people know Jules Verne (1828-19...
read more
Did you know? Sheep and environmental damage in Mexico
Belive it or not, the introduction of sheep to Mexico had serious environmental consequences. After the Conquest, Spanish settlers introduced numerous Old World species into the New World. The most ...
read more
Did you know? Independence battle map is upsidedown.
The battle in question is the Battle of Calderon Bridge (Batalla del Puente de Calderon), fought just outside Guadalajara in January 1811 as part of Mexico’s fight for Independence. The decisive batt...
read more
Did you know? Even "microwaves" are signposted along Mexico's roads
One of Mexico's best kept travel secrets for people driving their own vehicle is the multitude of road signs all beginning with the word "microondas" (literally “microwaves”). Even visitors with go...
read more
Did You Know? Blacks outnumbered Spaniards until after 1810
By common consent, the history of blacks in Mexico is a long one. The first black slave to set foot in Mexico is thought to have been Juan Cortés. He accompanied the conquistadors in 1519. It has been...
read more
Did You Know? Mathieu de Fossey
Mathieu de Fossey was born in France in 1805, and educated in Dijon. Politically disillusioned following the end of the reign of King Charles X in 1830, Fossey responded enthusiastically to an intrig...
read more
Did You Know? The World's first aerial bombing: the Battle of Topolobampo, Mexico
In the early years of the twentieth century, the nature of warfare changed dramatically. The deployment of aircraft unleashed a powerful new weapon for warring factions, previously forced to rely only ...
read more
Did You Know? Consuelo Velázquez and "Bésame mucho".
The song "Bésame mucho" (Kiss me a lot) was written by a young Mexican woman who had never been kissed. This article is a tribute to Consuelo Velázquez, who died January 22, 2005, at the age of 84. C...
read more
Did You Know? Most "bark paper" comes from wild fig trees
Besides being used as a kind of rough paper for records and correspondence, amate was also cut into human or animal forms as part of witchcraft rituals after which it would be buried in front of the pe...
read more
Did you know? Mexico's ancient astronomers had sophisticated calendars
Several ancient civilizations developed astonishingly accurate calendars. Even so, occasional adjustments were needed to bring the calendar back in line with solar events. Archaeologists studying the s...
read more
