San José Villa de Allende
Encyclopedia
San Jose Villa de Allende is a town and seat of the municipality of Villa de Allende located 70 kilometers to the west of the city of Toluca
. Villa de Allende current name was given in honor to Ignacio Allende
, a hero of the Mexican War of Independence
.
Early human inhabitation of the area is evidenced by archeological finds such as ceramics and arrowheads, as well as stone walls with bas relief carvings. Most of these are found in the nearby settlement of San Cayetano.
The village was originally founded by the Mazahua
s, with a name meaning "beautiful place" in that language. They arrived around the 7th century AD, and were under the domination of the Chichimeca
s. After Aztec
domination, its name was changed to 'Malacatepec', meaning "spindle hill". After the arrival of the Spaniards, the town fought with the Aztecs but the area was subdued by Gonzalo de Sandoval
in 1521. Evangelization of the area was accomplished by friars from the Franciscan
monastery at Toluca, who gave the town the name of San José Malacatepec in 1542 and built the temple of San José in 1554. The village gained town status in 1778 when it had a population of 6,138. From colonial times to the Mexican War of Independence
in 1810, the Mazahuas of the area were often subjected to being slaves or near-slaves to the colonial authorities, mostly working forcibly at the nearby hacienda
s of La Gavia, Sabana del Rosario, Salitre de Urendis and San Bartolo. This led the populace to embrace the arrival of José María Morelos y Pavón in the area and join the rebellion.
The town's bullring was built in 1945, made of adobe and wooden beams and was remodeled in 1981. The current municipal palace was constructed in 1960.
The town's church is noted for its gilded wood altar on which is an urn with the ashes of the church's founders. Above this is an oval portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe which has survived in excellent condition for over three centuries. It also has a number of notable oil paintings with religious themes.
The municipality was created in 1878. It extends 318.80 km2, encompassing terrain that varies in altitude between 2,380 and 3,200 meters above sea level. It has two notable peaks called the "Cerro del Pelón" and the "Cerro del Zapatero". It has four principle rivers called the La Asunción, San José, Los Berros and El Salitre, as well as 18 streams and ravines. It has two bodies of water called the Laguna Seca and the Laguna Verde, which are reservoirs for Mexico City
and Toluca.
The municipality has been known for its abundant forests, even though they have suffered from bad logging practices in the first part of the 20th century by foreign companies such as The Suchit Timber Company as well as national ones like Forestal de México.
By far the primary economic activity here is agriculture with almost 70% of the municipalities land dedicated to it. Various crops such as corn, wheat, potatoes, fava beans, peas, barley, oats, avocados, pears and walnuts. While some agriculture activity occurs year-round through irrigation, most occurs in the summer during the rainy season. Livestock consists primarily of cattle with significant numbers of horses, poultry, rabbits and bees. Industry is limited to textiles, blacksmithing and food processing. Tourism consists of visitors to the monarch butterfly sanctuary, located partially in the municipality as well as Bosencheve National Park.
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
. Villa de Allende current name was given in honor to Ignacio Allende
Ignacio Allende
Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga , born Ignacio Allende y Unzaga, was a captain of the Spanish Army in Mexico who came to sympathize with the Mexican independence movement. He attended the secret meetings organized by Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, where the possibility of an independent New Spain was...
, a hero of 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...
.
The town
The modern town had a population of 1,169 as of the 2005 census and an elevation of 2,380 meters above sea level.Early human inhabitation of the area is evidenced by archeological finds such as ceramics and arrowheads, as well as stone walls with bas relief carvings. Most of these are found in the nearby settlement of San Cayetano.
The village was originally founded by the Mazahua
Mazahua
The Mazahua are an indigenous people of Mexico, inhabiting the northwestern portion of the State of Mexico and northeastern area of Michoacán, with a presence also in the Federal District owing to recent migration...
s, with a name meaning "beautiful place" in that language. They arrived around the 7th century AD, and were under the domination of the Chichimeca
Chichimeca
Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...
s. After Aztec
Aztec
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...
domination, its name was changed to 'Malacatepec', meaning "spindle hill". After the arrival of the Spaniards, the town fought with the Aztecs but the area was subdued by Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain and briefly co-governor of the colony while Hernan Cortés was away from the capital .-Arrival in New Spain:Sandoval was the youngest of the lieutenants of Cortés. They arrived together in New Spain in 1519...
in 1521. Evangelization of the area was accomplished by friars from the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery at Toluca, who gave the town the name of San José Malacatepec in 1542 and built the temple of San José in 1554. The village gained town status in 1778 when it had a population of 6,138. From colonial times to 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 1810, the Mazahuas of the area were often subjected to being slaves or near-slaves to the colonial authorities, mostly working forcibly at the nearby 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...
s of La Gavia, Sabana del Rosario, Salitre de Urendis and San Bartolo. This led the populace to embrace the arrival of José María Morelos y Pavón in the area and join the rebellion.
The town's bullring was built in 1945, made of adobe and wooden beams and was remodeled in 1981. The current municipal palace was constructed in 1960.
The town's church is noted for its gilded wood altar on which is an urn with the ashes of the church's founders. Above this is an oval portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe which has survived in excellent condition for over three centuries. It also has a number of notable oil paintings with religious themes.
The municipality
As municipal seat, San José Villa de Allende is the governing authority for the following communities: El Aventurero, Batán Chico, Berros, Bosencheve, Buenavista Veintitrés (Agua Zarca), Cabecera de Indígenas (Barrio de la Cabecera), Cerro de Guadalupe, El Salitre del Cerro, Cuesta del Carmen, Las Dalias (San Miguel), Filiberto Gómez, El Jacal, Loma de Juárez, Sabana del Madroño (El Madroño), Mesas de San Martín, Mesas de Zacango (Zacango), Sabana de la Peña (La Peña), La Piedra, Sabana del Refugio, Ejido la Sabana de San Jerónimo, Sabana del Rosario (San Miguel), Sabana Taborda Primera Sección, San Cayetano (Barrio de Santiago), San Felipe Santiago, San Francisco de Asís, San Ildefonso, San Isidro, San Jerónimo Totoltepec, San Juan Buenavista (Lodo Prieto), San Miguel, San Pablo Malacatepec, Santa María (Santa María de las Delicias), Santa Teresa, Barrio de Santiago (Ejido de Santiago), Soledad del Salitre (El Salitre), Vare Chiquichuca, Sabana Taborda Segunda Sección, Macia (Ejido de Macia), El Clarín (La Mesa del Clarín), Lengua de Vaca (El Puerto), Las Mesas de San Jerónimo, Barrio de San Juan, Las Casitas, Loma de San Pablo, Manzana de Cashte, Sabana de San Jerónimo, Santa Cruz (La Rinconada), El Chirimoyo, Los Hoyos (Manzana los Hoyos), Potrero, Colchones, San Miguel la Máquina, Santa Cruz, El Cinco (Ejido Barrio de Santiago el Cinco), Ejido de San Martín, Buenavista, Chiquichuca (Barrio Chiquichuca), Loma Bonita, Barrio el Boncho, Casa Blanca, Barrio Chichicaishle, Barrio la Joya, Manzana la Pera, Mesas de San Juan Buenavista, La Peña, Barrio los Pozos, El Puerto, Rancho Morelos, Barrio el Salto and Barrio los Tules. the total municipal population was 41,938 in 2005.The municipality was created in 1878. It extends 318.80 km2, encompassing terrain that varies in altitude between 2,380 and 3,200 meters above sea level. It has two notable peaks called the "Cerro del Pelón" and the "Cerro del Zapatero". It has four principle rivers called the La Asunción, San José, Los Berros and El Salitre, as well as 18 streams and ravines. It has two bodies of water called the Laguna Seca and the Laguna Verde, which are reservoirs for 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...
and Toluca.
The municipality has been known for its abundant forests, even though they have suffered from bad logging practices in the first part of the 20th century by foreign companies such as The Suchit Timber Company as well as national ones like Forestal de México.
By far the primary economic activity here is agriculture with almost 70% of the municipalities land dedicated to it. Various crops such as corn, wheat, potatoes, fava beans, peas, barley, oats, avocados, pears and walnuts. While some agriculture activity occurs year-round through irrigation, most occurs in the summer during the rainy season. Livestock consists primarily of cattle with significant numbers of horses, poultry, rabbits and bees. Industry is limited to textiles, blacksmithing and food processing. Tourism consists of visitors to the monarch butterfly sanctuary, located partially in the municipality as well as Bosencheve National Park.