Ixtapan del Oro
Encyclopedia
Ixtapan del Oro is a town and municipality in the State of Mexico, in Mexico
. The name “Ixtapan” comes from Nahuatl
and means 'in the place of little salt'. "del Oro" is Spanish
, meaning 'of the gold'. This name was added in 1894 when some veins of gold were found here.
A number of archeological artifacts are displayed in the town's central garden, including a monolith
called "Tlazolteotl”, uncovered nearby, about which little is known with certainty. In 1987, the municipal government located in the town established the ecological park of "El Salto de Chihuahua" to promote tourism in the region.
The town church, called San Martine Ocoxochitepec, is an amalgam of a number of different styles, but its atrium
clearly marks its beginnings in the 16th century. It was last remodeled in 1975.
The Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture) "Joaquín Arcadio Pagaza" was opened in 1993 and the sports facility of "Graciela Mendoza Barrios" was opened in 1996.
One of the notable residents of the town is poet and bishop Joaquin Arcadio Pagaza (1839–1918) (poet and bishop) who wrote two sonnets about Ixtapan del Oro, "Ixtapan" y “La Huerta". Another is Rigoberto Jaimes Gómez, who was the president of the town in 1973 to 1975 and was responsible for many beneficial projects for the community. Víctor Limas Torres was a painter who painted many landscapes of the area.
It covers a total surface area of 82.49 km² on a plateau at an altitude of 1,640 meters. In the year 2005 census, it reported a population of 6,349. The economy is principally farming, concentrating on the production of corn, bean and fruit. It has a tourist attractive for its weather, has one waterfall El Salto de Chihuahua and one reserve with camping zone and thermal pools. It has archeology zone that hasn't been explorer.
, oak and walnut
, as well as fruit trees such as guava
, sapodilla
, mamey
and mango
. The farm plants are the corn, beans, tomatoes and green tomatoes. Ornamental plants include tulips, daisies and calla lilies. In the zone there are sand, gravel, stone and marble mines, principaly used for construction.
During the colonial period, in the 16th century, the territory of Ixtapan del Oro belonged to San Francisco Temascaltepec, (today Valle de Bravo
) and Tuzantla
. During the Mexican War of Independence
, Cerro Valiente (Brave Hill) was the site of a battle which was won by the royalist Juan Bautista de la Torre against the insurgents that were operating in the Valle (Valley) de Temascaltepec and in Sultepec
. In 1834, the area was considered part of the municipality of Otzoloapan. While it has never been officially declared a municipality, Ixtapan del Oro has been appearing on maps since 1870. By agreement, the municipality's anniversary is celebrated on February 23 of each year.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The name “Ixtapan” comes from 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...
and means 'in the place of little salt'. "del Oro" is Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, meaning 'of the gold'. This name was added in 1894 when some veins of gold were found here.
The town
It is a small town of only 913 people. This town is located at the western limits of Mexico State. It was founded in 1650 but received its name in 1870 as a municipality.A number of archeological artifacts are displayed in the town's central garden, including a monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
called "Tlazolteotl”, uncovered nearby, about which little is known with certainty. In 1987, the municipal government located in the town established the ecological park of "El Salto de Chihuahua" to promote tourism in the region.
The town church, called San Martine Ocoxochitepec, is an amalgam of a number of different styles, but its 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...
clearly marks its beginnings in the 16th century. It was last remodeled in 1975.
The Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture) "Joaquín Arcadio Pagaza" was opened in 1993 and the sports facility of "Graciela Mendoza Barrios" was opened in 1996.
One of the notable residents of the town is poet and bishop Joaquin Arcadio Pagaza (1839–1918) (poet and bishop) who wrote two sonnets about Ixtapan del Oro, "Ixtapan" y “La Huerta". Another is Rigoberto Jaimes Gómez, who was the president of the town in 1973 to 1975 and was responsible for many beneficial projects for the community. Víctor Limas Torres was a painter who painted many landscapes of the area.
The municipality
As municipal seat, the town of Ixtapan del Oro has governing jurisdiction over the following communities: Ayalita, Casas Largas, Ejido de Miahuatlán, El Chilar, El Teperreal, La Calera de los Gallos, La Calzada, La Mesa de San Martín, La Palma (Mina), La Puerta Miahuatlán de Hidalgo (Santa Cruz Miahuatlán), Milpillas, Sabanilla, San Martín Ocoxochitepec (San Martín), San Miguel Ixtapan, San Telmo, Santa Cruz Viejo, and Tutuapan.It covers a total surface area of 82.49 km² on a plateau at an altitude of 1,640 meters. In the year 2005 census, it reported a population of 6,349. The economy is principally farming, concentrating on the production of corn, bean and fruit. It has a tourist attractive for its weather, has one waterfall El Salto de Chihuahua and one reserve with camping zone and thermal pools. It has archeology zone that hasn't been explorer.
Natural geography
There are many rivers in this town, the main are the Río Balsas, Río Cutzamala and Río Ixtapan and this zone has fresh-water springs and thermal springs. In the north limit there is a waterfall called El salto de Chihuahua that is 200 feet (61 m) tall. The weather is temperate and somewhat humid with temperatures around 16 to 20 °C (60.8 to 68 F), and rains in summer. There are a lot of trees including pine, cedarCedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
, oak and walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
, as well as fruit trees such as guava
Guava
Guavas are plants in the myrtle family genus Psidium , which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America...
, sapodilla
Sapodilla
Manilkara zapota, commonly known as the sapodilla, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatan in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a subdominant plant species...
, mamey
Mamey
Mamey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine...
and mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
. The farm plants are the corn, beans, tomatoes and green tomatoes. Ornamental plants include tulips, daisies and calla lilies. In the zone there are sand, gravel, stone and marble mines, principaly used for construction.
History
There is some archeological ruins near the town of San Miguel Ixtapan, which have only been partially explored. There are also traces of human habitation before the Spanish conquest at the Cerro de las Tapazones also known as El Pedregal and Cerro de Tepalcate.During the colonial period, in the 16th century, the territory of Ixtapan del Oro belonged to San Francisco Temascaltepec, (today Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo is a town and municipality located in Mexico State, Mexico. It is located on the shore of Lake Avándaro, approximately 156 km southwest of Mexico City and west of Toluca on highways 15, 134 or 1...
) and Tuzantla
Tuzantla
Tuzantla is a municipality in the eastern part of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 1,018.49 square kilometres and is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Jungapeo and Hidalgo, to the east by Juárez and Susupuato, to the south by Tiquicheo and the state of...
. 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...
, Cerro Valiente (Brave Hill) was the site of a battle which was won by the royalist Juan Bautista de la Torre against the insurgents that were operating in the Valle (Valley) de Temascaltepec and in Sultepec
Sultepec
Sultepec is a town and municipality in Mexico State in Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 552.52 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 24,986.-References:...
. In 1834, the area was considered part of the municipality of Otzoloapan. While it has never been officially declared a municipality, Ixtapan del Oro has been appearing on maps since 1870. By agreement, the municipality's anniversary is celebrated on February 23 of each year.