Chihuahua, Mexico

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Sierra Madre Occidental. Once primarily a mining town, it is now a lively commercial and industrial centre.

History

In pre-Columbian times as well as later, Apaches from Arizona and Comanches from Texas made frequent incursions south, roaming the region.

Early Spanish attempts at settlement and missionising came to nothing, but in 1709 Antonio de Deza y Ulloa successfully founded a community which he christened San Francisco de Cuéllar; the name was changed to San Felipe El Real de Chihuahua (Tarahumara: ''dry place") in 1718. Discoveries of rich deposits of silver made Chihuahua prosperous, though constant attacks by Indians impeded its development. In 1811, after being taken prisoner by troops of the Spanish Crown, Pater Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, father of Mexico's independence, was executed in Chihuahua along with several comrades-in-arms. Both during the war with the U.S. (1846-48) and during the War of Intervention (1862-66), U.S. forces temporarily occupied the city. Benito Juárez also made Chihuahua his base for a time. The riots at the end of 1910, which followed President Porfirio Díaz's re-election and presaged the Revolution, had their roots in the city. In northern Mexico the revolt was led by Abraham Gonzáles and the charismatic ringleader Francisco ("Pancho") Villa. In 1913, having occupied Chihuahua with his "División del Norte", Villa set up his headquarters here.