We are pleased to announce that this Forum will now be hosting the Alamos History Club for Bev Krucek.  They meet weekly at Hacienda de los Santos.

Bev will be by to provide all of the details...

Hacienda de los Santos in Alamos is a legend. Over the course of 18 years owners Jim and Nancy Swickard seamlessly connected three 17th century haciendas plus an old sugar factory, lovingly restoring and converting them into a 25 room luxury hotel where mod-cons mingle with museum-worthy antiques and religious art that took 40 years to amass.

For the whole story and an interesting blog go here:

http://trans-americas.com/work/H053_Tacubaya.html

After driving across the Copper Canyon and resting up at Torres del Fuerte hotel in El Fuerte we veered off the pavement once again and hit the back roads headed for Alamos. Sure you can get there on the highway but there’s also a network of good dirt roads that connect El Fuerte and Alamos on a route that takes you through the Sonoran desert and past a few isolated villages often on stretches of the original Camino Real.

The trick is knowing which way to go. It seemed like everyone suggested a slightly different route (frustrating) but we headed out anyway and only ended up making one wrong turn.

For the whole story and an interesting blog go here:

http://trans-americas.com/blog/2010/01/alamos/

This summer at Hacienda de los Santos we plan to have at least one special evening a month. Here's the June event details:

On Tuesday, June 8th, there will be a Fiesta Mexicana buffet with your choice of Grilled Brochettes of Chicken or Beef (or both), Pork Tamales, Taco Salad, Cranberry Cole Slaw, Vaquero Beans, Spanish Rice and a Capiotada Dessert with a Warm Brandy Sauce. Coffee or Tea included with the meal ... only $200 Pesos, plus tax and optional gratuity. Live Music with Los Hacendados during Dinner. Happy Hour at Zapata's Cantina (2 for 1 drinks...will be served at the same time) from 6:30 to 7:30 with dinner buffet beginning at 7:30.

We will have an interesting series of travelogue films after dinner beginning at about 8:30 with visits to Argentina (Buenos Aires & Mendoza) and also Turkey, (Istanbul & the Turquoise Coast). (Running time is 2 hours). Popcorn will be served during your trip around the world!

Reservations are required, please call 428-0222 or email marlene@haciendadelossantos.org.mx. You may enter through the large doors next to the Agave Cafe or the main entrance of Hacienda de los Santos.

The reopening of 'Santiago's' restaurant on Calle Molina will take place on the morning of Tuesday, June 15th. 'Santiago's' will be available during the summer for breakfast, lunch and dinner until October 1st when both Zapata's Cantina and the Agave Cafe reopen for the winter season. 'Santiago's' is fully air conditioned, plus beautiful portal seating with a view of the large pool where you can enjoy the LED light show in the sparkling water. There will be a new menu for both lunch and evening meals. Be sure to experience 'Santiago's' later this month.

 
Step into another world.. Summer at Hacienda de los Santos is extraordinary.

June may start hot and dry, but the first thunderstorms, shaking the ground to startle the ecosystem awake, dowse trees and plants in an early bath, blowing wet winds to stretch them to life. Blinking her eyes open, Nature blossoms in a beautiful display of color against an immense background of jungle-green.

Throughout the summer you, too, will be shaken by an occasional thunderstorm. Kaboom! Flash! Wow, this is primordial, beginnings of life, a seismic soul-shake. Enjoy it! Nature's breast-beating display. A refreshingly cool tropical drink is the perfect companion to a good novel as you relax near one of the three pools.

These are relaxing times when the clock slows down and life seems more real.

Come to the Hacienda for a unique mix of restfulness and well-deserved self-indulgence... at a great price. We encourage Pilot's to fly early in the day. Make your toll free reservation now:

1-888-777-0164

Summer Rates:
May 1st to Oct. 1st 
Hacienda Guest Rooms, Suites and Villas.
$155.00-$750.00
 

Greetings Alamos aficionados! 

My very special and precious little book Over These Cobblestones: An Alamos Sojourn is now available through the Amazon.com website. 

The introduction to this memoir allows the reader to meet the author (me!), while the prologue provides a brief historical background of Alamos and its people. 

What follows is a week-long diary of daily life in this small town at the turn of the 21st Century, describing both routine and singular events, while providing introductions to special friends and colorful characters.  An epilogue provides the finishing touches after your enchanting visit to this Pueblo Magico; which is brought to life within the pages of this book. 

The book is something that should be added to everyone's "books about Alamos and Sonora" library; and makes a meaningful gift as well for friends and family who have or long to visit Alamos some day....

Just got to:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=over+these+cobblestones&x=0&y=0

Enjoy!

Emily Preece

We are pleased to announce that Posada Tacubaya B & B is open and we would love for you to come by for a visit. During the summer, manager Rito Valdez, is there from 10:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. and would be happy to give you a tour.

Others may wish to visit our new web site: www.posadatacubaya.com.

Our hope is that you will recommend this delightful property to friends that would like a cozy, economical and fun place to stay in Alamos. We welcome children and well behaved pets. Monthly rates are available.

The web site was created by frequent Alamos visitor Martin Mansfield who also is the webmaster of this forum. He can be reached at: martin@martinmansfield.com if you have a project in mind.

Hope to see you soon,
The Swickards and Alcantars

Price just REDUCED  from $225.000 USD to $210,000  USD    OBO

Address is 21 Durango corner  de Compoy in La Colorada across from the La Hacienda.

We live in Hollywood Ca & travel a lot & it's just too much for us to handle having a home in another country.

HOUSE SIZE:  about 2400 sq ft
PROPERTY SIZE:  more than 1/2 acre.  I think in meters the property is 28,000 plus sq meters,   (Lot could be split to sell half)
There are 3 bedrooms , each with their own bathroom.)

WATER STORAGE:  a pila & tinaco and  there is water underground for a well if you wanted.
(Pila means cement  water storage & Tinaco means roof water storage tank)
Pila has between 1000 and 1500 cubic letros de agua
Tinaco has 800 cubic letros  de agua

CONSTRUCTION:  Stucco over Brick
AGE:  Built in the 1980's
STYLE: Spanish Colonial with a modern twist.
2 FIREPLACES

FRONT Brick PATIO:  (14ft x 38ft) is covered and has 3 arches for a colonial     feeling
BACK PATIO: Brick (32.5 ft x 68.5ft)  &  is not covered.

 All windows & doors have decorative iron..  Roof is concrete as are all of the beams  are painted brown like wood.  In other words….no termites!

The floors are all of dark red bricks except bathrooms. Bathrooms are tiled.

 All rooms have  high ceilings except the bathrooms. The bathrooms were designed with lower ceilings for warmth as well as giving storage areas in the spaces above them.

 There is another storage area  and/or laundry room in the main hallway. (4’3” x 4’4”) with room for washer & dryer.
 
Included in the master bed room :a king size bed in good condition, 1 chest of drawers w/6 drawers, and 3 bedside matching tables each with 3 drawers.  They match the chest of drawers. All in carved wood ala Mexican style. 
There is also a  large cupboard with shelves  for folded clothes.
(It has enough furniture to move in immediately & then take your time to furnish in your own style)

The Master bedroom  (18.5 x 12’) has a fireplace & a 6’x6’ walk-in closet.  The 2nd  fireplace is in the living room.

The kitchen has a counter (bar w/2 bar stools) & from the kitchen you can see through double arches to the living room.
In between the kitchen & living room is a dining room. In the states it would be called  a "great room". (18’ x 36’) not including the  kitchen)

Across from the front double wooden doors is another pair of double doors; Which  are bi-fold w/wood mullions (sp) & glass. They open to the back patio & yard.
 
It's a quiet area with a mountain view in mostly other gringo homes; which you may or may not appreciate.

There is a street light that lights up the front patio a bit.  The house is on a cobble stoned street.

 There is a 2nd  street light plus our own driveway has entry lights on each side of two large iron  gates that lead into the 1/2 acre yard.

 There is plenty of room for a pool and or RV's or casitas or whatever.  (Also, the yard could be subdivided)

I don't know what else to tell you now.  Oh property taxes are about 2000 pesos per year. (With  exchange rate of 14p the  taxes in USD equivalent $142)

If you visit Alamos just stop by, pull into the yard and/or bang on the iron gate so we can  hear you inside.

Phone number in Los Angeles 323 876-2226  Until February 6, 2010
Alamos Cell phone # after February 10, 2010 through March 2010
EMAIL: PanAmPatti@Gmail.com
http://picasaweb.google.com/PanAmPatti/AlamosSonoraMexicoHouseForSale#
 

SOME ALAMOS BEGININGS

Some friends have asked me to share here some of what I have researched on Alamos History.
Here is some of what I have collected from some personal research I have don in museums and file collections from Spain and through the history passed by some of the founder families of Alamos.
I would also like to thank Juan Carlos Holguín Balderrama for sharing with me his research on the names of streets in Alamos.

First the unconfirmed tale…
From family to family, in particular a merchant family by the last name of Garcia, which used to accompany the Spaniard militaries, not the missionaries as many think, say that some time between 1567 and 1587 a group of military Scouts sent to the north to find a place where they could establish a fort from where the Spaniards could observe and position themselves in advantage to the “savage natives of the region”. In looking for that region the tale states that 6 or 8 scouts found a seasonal river that crossed from West to East through a small forest of very tall trees, actually they were poplar trees (Alamo). The tale says that the scouts were amazed not to find any native resistance on their way to that area; they identified the small valley suitable for an outpost composed of a mission and a military fort to help those explorers and missionaries to the north and help the discovery and conquest of new lands for the crown of Spain.

The confirmed history …
About 100 years after the time of the tale the settlers of Alamos had not only built a chapel on the vicinity of the river, but the first levee to change the route of the river was built by adding sand and dirt they moved the riverbed to the north reclaiming some ground and using the wood of the trees to help on the construction of the levees the chapel and the military post. Note that by then the forest of poplars was nearly destroyed (I guess an unfortunate event).
Water and a peaceful area also attracted cattle farmers and merchants, specially knowing that this place would be on route to new land and the base from where new exploration would take place. Geological speaking Alamos had the shape that still has today.
By moving the riverbed to the north the base for what today is la Alameda was settled, the tracing of the streets was in plan and more people started to come in … prospectors among the newcomers.
From here on a lot of the history gets documented and the streets of Alamos got named!

So lets talk of the names of the streets, once again thanks to Juan Carlos Holguín for his research on the street names, that saved me a long time of research. If I ask you which streets preserve their original, or at least the first known name? Before you continue reading take a wild guess….
.
.
.
OK here is the answer:
The street by the name of Comercio which original name or at least the first known name was “calle del comercio”, so when you walk by that street, keep in mind that it has had that name for at least 200 to 300 years.
Other streets and their original names:
The “Benito Juarez” Street or Just “Juarez” its first known name around the XIX century was “Calle de la Paz” (peace street).
The “Callejón del Beso first known name was Martín Garatuza (and who was this person? … more history research for this one later)
Going back to the Juarez street from the City hall and continuing through what today is called calle Chihuahua up to the intersection with Galeana was called “Calle del Calvario” (Calvary street).
Finally continuing on Chihuahua from Galeana towards the end of the street was called “Callejón de la Huerta de los Urrea” (alley of the Urrea orchard)
What today is known as “calle Molina” the first known name was “calle del Ángel” (Angel Street).
The first name of “callejón del Pipila” was known as “calle del Puente” (Bridge street, can you the reader guess why this was the Bridge street? The evidence still exists in Alamos)
What today is “calle 2 de Abril” used to be “calle del hospital” (Hospital street)
Today’s “calle Alberto Gutierrez” was known by either of two names “calle de las flores” (flowers street) or “calle del Baratillo” (dime store street, closest translation)
The “calle Antonio Rosales” was “Calle del Refugio” (refuge street or retreat street; both are the closest translation)
The portion of  “Calle Ignacio Zaragoza” limited to the west by “calle Alberto Gutierrez” and to the east by its intersection with “calle comercio” was known as “calle de la pilita” (street of the small water fountain) this last because at the end of the street used to be a public water fountain, on the east end of the street.
Continuing on this street towards the east, on the intersection with the “calle obregón” and until you hit the intersection of  “calle Rosales” was known as the “calle de la garita” (shelter street).
The “calle Obregón” was known as “calle de las palmas” (palms street).
The “callejon Marcor” was known as “calle de Antelo” (street of Antelo)
The “calle Francisco I Madero” was known as “Calle de la Aurora” (Aurora Street or down street, both are the closest translation). This last change its name relatively recently, maybe in the last 20 years.
The asphalt paved area that is by what today  is the start of the road to Navojoa was known as “camino a la Uvalama” (Uvalama road)
The “calle Morelos” by the Alameda, used to be known “paseo Alameda” (Alameda ride)
This same street towards the east starting on the intersection of “calle Guadalupe Victoria” was known as “calle de la Industria” (industry street)
The portion of the “calle Rosales” between “callejon del beso” and “calle Guadalupe Victoria” was known as “calle del recreo” (recreation or recess street, both cases is closest translation)
The portion of  “calle Guadalupe Victoria starting in front of the museum going south until it ends was known by  any of these two names “calle de la moneda” (coin street) or “callejón de los artesanos” (alley of the crafters”, closest translation)
The “calle Miguel Hidalgo” was known as “calle de Zapopan” (Zapopan street)
Finally the “calle Tacubaya” was known as “camino Real” (Royal road)

I now invite the reader to walk around Alamos and think about these streets and their original or first known name. In some cases I think the name was nicer than today’s in others I think is good to know its history.
You, the reader, will also note that this work is not finished, there are more streets that need to be researched and Juan Carlos Holguín and myself do this only as a hobby, probably some day we will have the time to finish this fascinating work.

A proposal that I have for the Alamos Council (Cabildo in Spanish) and the Major is that the streets of Alamos should be at least temporarily renamed during the Festival days. Wouldn’t this be a nice historical reminder of what Alamos was in the past?

There is much more I could write on this posting but for the moment I will let you enjoy thinking on the beginning of Alamos its streets and the forest that once was there.

Best regards,
And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Carlos Pratt
Copyright notice:
This work is copyrighted material of ©Carlos Pratt and others.
No portion of this material may be reproduced or copied or redistributed by any means without express written permission of the author
Some sources of information:
Garcia  Family documents.
Juan Carlos Holguín Balderrama
Historic data from the Alamos church archives
Historic data from the Alamos City hall
Several sources from Spain and Portugal



 

I will be taking the bus back to Alamos after taking a Copper Canyon trip with family.  I will stay in El Fuerte for a few hours to see the colonial sights before I head back.  Can anyone tell me which bus company (ies) services that route & how often?   Cost?  Best one to use? I know I'll have to change buses in Navojoa to get to Alamos, but will I have to change buses in El Carrizo?

Option 2 to is to take the bus from Los Mochis - same questions....