History of Álamos
Álamos - a small Mexican town steeped in history and known as the colonial jewel of northern Mexico
Tucked in a high valley in between the Sierra de Álamos and the Sierra Madre, it was originally inhabited by the Yoreme and Mayo Indians and was known as Pimeria Alta. Spanish conquistadors came through on the Camino Real as they explored the ‘new world’. The intrepid Jesuits built the first adobe church in 1630, founding Real de los Frailes, New Spain, later to become known as Álamos, and the capital of El Estado Occidente.
What put Álamos on the map was the discovery of silver in 1683 as La Quintera mine became the richest silver vein in the new world and turned Álamos into a prosperous mining town. Many of the missions founded as far as Los Angeles and Sonoma, were funded by the wealth of silver from the Álamos mines. In its heyday, 30,000 people lived in Álamos. The historic and elegant center of Álamos was laid out by the king of Spain’s court and that old world influence is felt to this day.
Mexico’s independence from Spain combined with the dwindling mine wealth, caused the population and prosperity of Álamos to decline and it became a virtual ghost town in the early 1900s. Then, in the late 1940s, an American man, Levant Alcorn, happened upon the sleepy town with magnificent architecture, cobblestone streets and abandoned haciendas. He began buying up old buildings and selling them through newspaper ads in his hometown paper. Slowly but surely, adventurous foreigners began to settle in Álamos and started what continues to this day to be a vibrant expat community. Thanks, in great part, to their efforts, Álamos came back to life.
Today, Álamos is a thriving town where there is a very symbiotic relationship between the expat and Mexican communities. It remains a place where the old and new world intermix.
The historic town center has been declared a National Historic Monument for its architecture and has also been designated as a Pueblo Mágico.
The town is still small and relatively sleepy. There are no stop lights in town – even though there are a lot more cars these days. You’ll still see the occasional horse and cart or cowboy on horseback.
In the last 20 years, it has become a popular destination for regional Mexican tourism and outdoor enthusiasts. The population is around 13,000 people. The main drivers of the economy are mining (there’s a big copper mine just outside of town), cattle ranching and tourism. Álamos is, rightfully so, the pride, joy and crown jewel of the state of Sonora.