Lagunillas, Jalisco
Encyclopedia
Lagunillas is a rural
town in the municipality
of San Martín de Hidalgo
in the Mexican state of Jalisco
. The town is enclaved in the local and state-wide touristic area Sierra de Quila, one of Jalisco's largest protected forests.
Lagunillas is known region-wide as an enchanting place with red-colored dirt roads and adobe
houses with wooden accents contrasting a solid dark green forest and the silhouette of the Cerro El Huehuentón
.
means "small lakes". The word is a combination of the noun laguna, meaning "lake", and the suffix illa which means "small".
surrounded by forests of oak
and pine
trees. The town is still surrounded by the Sierra de Quila, whose beauty symbolizes untouched nature. The population of Lagunillas has had a steady decline due to its rural location, it is currently 106 as of 2010.
harvest in Lagunillas, many residents from adjacent towns come to pick peaches for no cost, due to the hospitality of Lagunillas' residents. Maize
and agave
are farmed, but not in a significant quantity. Orchards of peaches and cherries are the town's agricultural symbol.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
town in the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of San Martín de Hidalgo
San Martín de Hidalgo
San Martín de Hidalgo is a city and municipality, in Jalisco in central-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 324.57 km².As of 2010, the municipality had a total population of 26,306; and the city had a population of 8,092....
in the Mexican state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
. The town is enclaved in the local and state-wide touristic area Sierra de Quila, one of Jalisco's largest protected forests.
Lagunillas is known region-wide as an enchanting place with red-colored dirt roads and adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
houses with wooden accents contrasting a solid dark green forest and the silhouette of the Cerro El Huehuentón
Cerro El Huehuentón
The Cerro El Huehuentón is the highest peak of the Sierra de Quila; it stands at 8,298 ft above sea level. El Huehuentón is located at about a 30-minute drive from Lagunillas, the largest population enclaved in the forest, between the municipalities of San Martín de Hidalgo and Tecolotlán, in...
.
Toponymics
Lagunillas (lah-gun-nee-yahs) in SpanishSpanish 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...
means "small lakes". The word is a combination of the noun laguna, meaning "lake", and the suffix illa which means "small".
History
Lagunillas was probably founded by a group of settlers who, when searching for farmland, found small freshwater lakes. The town is atop a mesaMesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
surrounded by forests of oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees. The town is still surrounded by the Sierra de Quila, whose beauty symbolizes untouched nature. The population of Lagunillas has had a steady decline due to its rural location, it is currently 106 as of 2010.
Economy
During the peachPeach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
harvest in Lagunillas, many residents from adjacent towns come to pick peaches for no cost, due to the hospitality of Lagunillas' residents. Maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and agave
Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
are farmed, but not in a significant quantity. Orchards of peaches and cherries are the town's agricultural symbol.