Acatlán, Hidalgo
Encyclopedia
Acatlán is a town and municipality
located in the Mexican state
of Hidalgo, about ten km northwest of the city of Tulancingo
and 147km from Mexico City
. The main landmark is the San Miguel monastery which was built in 16th century. It is partially in ruins but there have been efforts since the 1980s to restore it. Acatlán comes from a Nahuatl
phrase which means “near the reeds.” “San Miguel” is derived from the name of the monastery.
tributary province. After the Conquest, it became part of the encomienda
controlled b D. Pedro de Paz, which encompassed the area of what is now the municipalities of Atotonilco
, Huasca de Ocampo
and Acatlán. Later in the colonial period, it became part of an “Indian Republic,” meaning the Otomi
and Mexicas here had some amount of autonomy from Spanish rule.
The town’s founding is dated as 1518, but the first records in which the town appears dates to 1564, when governor Domingo de Alvardo has a color map drawn. The monastery was built by the Augustinians in between 1544 and 1569 and dedicated to the Archangel Michael. The town would take on “San Miguel” as a prefix late into the 18th century. It is not known who exactly built it as the earliest surviving record is a registry of marriages from 1569. Other records from this time indicate that it was in operation with three monks in residence, including one who could speak both Nahuatl and Otomi
. The monastery was turned over to regular clergy in 1745, becoming the parish of the community under Father Miguel Echeverría. Originally it was under the jurisdiction of Mexico City but became part of the Tulancingo archdiocese in 1864.
At the end of the 16th century, the encomiendas were broken up into the hacienda
system, with the Totopa, Mixquiapan, Zupitlán, Tpenacasco and Cacaloapan located in what is now the municipality. In the middle of the 18th century, natives of the area struggled against María Dolores Romero de Terreros over lands that were annexed to the San Juan Hueyapan Hacienda in Huasca. These and other problems with the landed elite cause most of the populace here to side with the insurgents during the Mexican War of Independence
in the early 19th century, recruiting a number of soldiers here after Nicolás Bravo
occupied nearly Tulancingo.
The town was temporarily occupied by forces loyal to Venustiano Carranza
during the Mexican Revolution
, using the monastery as a barracks.
The municipality was created in 1869.
The church and monastery complex area is undergoing restoration work, which were begun by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in 1988.
with four slots for bells. Both the facade and the cloister are nearly devoid of decoration, with traces of the original painted decoration in the cloister and open chapel. It conserves three of its four “capillas posas” or chapels on each of the corners of the large atrium
. In the middle of this atrium is a large stone cross.
The town hosts the Expo-Acatlán at the end of September, which features dairy products and crafts as well as rides, cultural events and other attractions. The feast in honor of the Archangel Michael is held from the 20-29 of September, with religious events, traditional dances and other activities. At these and other events, are traditional foods such as cueritos (pig skin in chili pepper sauce) and varieties of pulque
.
As the municipal seat, the town of Acatlán is the governing authority for about sixty five other communities (inegi) which cover an area of 174.70km2. However, as of 2005, only 418 out of the total municipal population of 17914 lives in the town proper (inegi). The municipality borders the municipalities of Huasca de Ocampo, Agua Blanca de Iturbide
, Metepec
, Tulancingo de Bravo and Singuilucan
.
The town and municipality are located in the Tulancingo Valley. Notable elevations include the Cerro la Providencia and Cerro Prieto. Other elevations are located near the municipality’s borders with Huasca and Tulancingo. It is located in the Moctezuma River
basin with rivers and streams such as the Grande Tulancingo, Los Enlamaderos, Las Vegas, El Meco and Salto de Alcholoya. Depending on elevation, the climate ranges from temperate and semi-arid (70% of the territory) to temperate and semi-humid, with rains mostly in the summer and early autumn. Average annual temperature is 14C.
Most of the vegetation is adapted to dry conditions and includes grasses, cactus, palm trees and mesquite
s. In higher elevations, some broadleaf trees can be found. Wildlife mostly consists of small mammals such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and others. Bird species include eagles, owls and buzzards and reptiles include rattlesnake
s and chameleon
s.
The major natural attraction of the area is the Alcholoya Canyon which contains a waterfall. Other landmarks in the area include Supitlán Lake, the San Pablo thermal springs, which are reputed to have healing capabilities, Cerro del Yolo Mountain, the Santa Elena Dam the former haciendas of Totoapa and Tepaenacascasco, now known as the Rancho Alicia. The Hacienda El Lucero is known for its restaurant which serves exotic dishes such as crocodile ceviche
, Sinaloa style, filets of wild boar and ostrich and dishes made with deer, buffalo and other meats.
Industry is mostly limited to wood products, dairy products and the mining of kaolinite
and some other industrial minerals. There is an asbestos
production facility in Alcholoya. Commerce is limited to serving local needs.
. The illiteracy rate is 26.5% although this number is slowly diminishing. The major issue for education is that there are too few schools and many people do not have the resources to travel to school. There are almost no speakers of indigenous languages, but there is a primary school targeted to the indigenous.
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
located in the Mexican state
States of Mexico
The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...
of Hidalgo, about ten km northwest of the city of Tulancingo
Tulancingo
Tulancingo is the second-largest city in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the southeastern part of the state and also forms one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, as well as the Archdiocese of Tulancingo...
and 147km from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. The main landmark is the San Miguel monastery which was built in 16th century. It is partially in ruins but there have been efforts since the 1980s to restore it. Acatlán comes from a Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
phrase which means “near the reeds.” “San Miguel” is derived from the name of the monastery.
History
Before the arrival of the Spanish, this area was part of an AztecAztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
tributary province. After the Conquest, it became part of the encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
controlled b D. Pedro de Paz, which encompassed the area of what is now the municipalities of Atotonilco
Atotonilco El Grande
Atotonilco El Grande is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipal seat lies at Atotonilco El Grande . The municipality covers an area of 426.6 km²....
, Huasca de Ocampo
Huasca de Ocampo
Huasca de Ocampo is a town and municipality of the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico. It is located 34 km from Pachuca and 16 km from Real del Monte in the Sierra de Pachuca Mountains. While the town itself it just within the mountain range, much of the municipal land in located in a...
and Acatlán. Later in the colonial period, it became part of an “Indian Republic,” meaning the Otomi
Otomi people
The Otomi people . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The Otomi language belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.One of...
and Mexicas here had some amount of autonomy from Spanish rule.
The town’s founding is dated as 1518, but the first records in which the town appears dates to 1564, when governor Domingo de Alvardo has a color map drawn. The monastery was built by the Augustinians in between 1544 and 1569 and dedicated to the Archangel Michael. The town would take on “San Miguel” as a prefix late into the 18th century. It is not known who exactly built it as the earliest surviving record is a registry of marriages from 1569. Other records from this time indicate that it was in operation with three monks in residence, including one who could speak both Nahuatl and Otomi
Otomi language
Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in...
. The monastery was turned over to regular clergy in 1745, becoming the parish of the community under Father Miguel Echeverría. Originally it was under the jurisdiction of Mexico City but became part of the Tulancingo archdiocese in 1864.
At the end of the 16th century, the encomiendas were broken up into the hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
system, with the Totopa, Mixquiapan, Zupitlán, Tpenacasco and Cacaloapan located in what is now the municipality. In the middle of the 18th century, natives of the area struggled against María Dolores Romero de Terreros over lands that were annexed to the San Juan Hueyapan Hacienda in Huasca. These and other problems with the landed elite cause most of the populace here to side with the insurgents during the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
in the early 19th century, recruiting a number of soldiers here after Nicolás Bravo
Nicolás Bravo
Nicolás Bravo was a Mexican politician and soldier. He distinguished himself in both offices during the 1846–1848 U.S. invasion of Mexico....
occupied nearly Tulancingo.
The town was temporarily occupied by forces loyal to Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, using the monastery as a barracks.
The municipality was created in 1869.
The church and monastery complex area is undergoing restoration work, which were begun by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in 1988.
The town
The town itself straddles the Huasca-Tulancingo road and serves as a commerce center for the surrounding rural Tulancingo Valley. The town center has municipality’s main public buildings, including the area’s only library, the Biblioteca Pública Municipal Profra. Matilde Sánchez Soto . The main structure is the San Miguel Monastery, which was one of the largest built by the Augustinians in the 16th century in Hidalgo. The complex is partially in ruins although there have been efforts starting from the 1980s to restore it. The facade has flat belfryBell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
with four slots for bells. Both the facade and the cloister are nearly devoid of decoration, with traces of the original painted decoration in the cloister and open chapel. It conserves three of its four “capillas posas” or chapels on each of the corners of the large atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
. In the middle of this atrium is a large stone cross.
The town hosts the Expo-Acatlán at the end of September, which features dairy products and crafts as well as rides, cultural events and other attractions. The feast in honor of the Archangel Michael is held from the 20-29 of September, with religious events, traditional dances and other activities. At these and other events, are traditional foods such as cueritos (pig skin in chili pepper sauce) and varieties of pulque
Pulque
Pulque, or octli, is a milk-colored, somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to...
.
The municipality
Agua Blanca de Iturbide
Agua Blanca de Iturbide is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 97.6 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 8443....
, Metepec
Metepec, Hidalgo
Metepec is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 192.7 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 9278....
, Tulancingo de Bravo and Singuilucan
Singuilucan
Singuilucan is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 334.1 km². As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 13,143....
.
The town and municipality are located in the Tulancingo Valley. Notable elevations include the Cerro la Providencia and Cerro Prieto. Other elevations are located near the municipality’s borders with Huasca and Tulancingo. It is located in the Moctezuma River
Moctezuma River
-References:*Atlas of Mexico, 1975 .*The Prentice Hall American World Atlas, 1984.*Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993....
basin with rivers and streams such as the Grande Tulancingo, Los Enlamaderos, Las Vegas, El Meco and Salto de Alcholoya. Depending on elevation, the climate ranges from temperate and semi-arid (70% of the territory) to temperate and semi-humid, with rains mostly in the summer and early autumn. Average annual temperature is 14C.
Most of the vegetation is adapted to dry conditions and includes grasses, cactus, palm trees and mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
s. In higher elevations, some broadleaf trees can be found. Wildlife mostly consists of small mammals such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and others. Bird species include eagles, owls and buzzards and reptiles include rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
s and chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
s.
The major natural attraction of the area is the Alcholoya Canyon which contains a waterfall. Other landmarks in the area include Supitlán Lake, the San Pablo thermal springs, which are reputed to have healing capabilities, Cerro del Yolo Mountain, the Santa Elena Dam the former haciendas of Totoapa and Tepaenacascasco, now known as the Rancho Alicia. The Hacienda El Lucero is known for its restaurant which serves exotic dishes such as crocodile ceviche
Ceviche
Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of the Americas, especially Central and South America. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime and spiced with chilli peppers. Additional seasonings such as onion, salt,...
, Sinaloa style, filets of wild boar and ostrich and dishes made with deer, buffalo and other meats.
Economy
The municipality is poor with agriculture, agriculture, both commercial and sustenance, being the basis of the economy. Between half to two-thirds of the population farms, either full or part time, with just over half earning minimum wage and 28% receiving no monetary income at all. While much of the agriculture is mechanized, due to the relative flatness of the land, animal pulled plows can still be found here. Main crops include corn, beans, arley and maguey for pulque. Two-thirds of the municipality’s land is cultivated, with the most valuable crops being hay and barley grain. About two-thirds of agriculture is dependent on the rainy season with the rest on irrigation. Much of the rest of the territory is used as pasture, especially for goats. Other domesticated animals include turkeys, chickens, sheep, cows, pigs and horses.Industry is mostly limited to wood products, dairy products and the mining of kaolinite
Kaolinite
Kaolinite is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals, with the chemical composition Al2Si2O54. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina octahedra...
and some other industrial minerals. There is an asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
production facility in Alcholoya. Commerce is limited to serving local needs.
Education
The municipality has kindergartens and primary schools, with middle school education available through “telesecundarias,” sites where lessons are delivered via media from other places. Less than 17% of the population finishes middle school. Those seeking further education must go to Tulancingo or PachucaPachuca
Pachuca, formally Pachuca de Soto is the capital of the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located in the south-central part of the state. Pachuca de Soto is also the name of the municipality of which the city serves as municipal seat...
. The illiteracy rate is 26.5% although this number is slowly diminishing. The major issue for education is that there are too few schools and many people do not have the resources to travel to school. There are almost no speakers of indigenous languages, but there is a primary school targeted to the indigenous.