Cucurpe facts for kids
Cucurpe is a small town in the Mexican state of Sonora. It is the main town of the Cucurpe Municipality.
History
Long ago, the land where Cucurpe is now was home to the Opata and Pima tribes. In 1647, a Jesuit missionary named Marcos del Río started the first Spanish settlement here. He called it the mission of Los Santos Reyes de Cucurpe.
Later, in 1859, Cucurpe was given the title of "Villa," which means it became a larger town. In 1932, it officially became a municipality, which is like its own local government area.
In 1691, two other Jesuit missionaries, Adam Gilg and Marko Anton Kappus, also started a mission in Cucurpe. It was called the mission of St. Thaddeus. However, it was destroyed in the same year by the Seri people.
This town was once known as the "Rim of Christendom." This meant it was at the very edge of the lands where Christianity had spread. From here, a famous priest named Father Eusebio Kino began his important work. He rode out from Cucurpe on March 14, 1687, to explore and set up missions in the area known as the Pimería Alta.
Geography
Rivers
Cucurpe has two rivers that usually have clear water. During the rainy season, from June to August, these rivers can become very strong. The Dolores River and the Saracachi River join together to form the Sonora River. This river then flows into the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Reservoir, which is a large water storage area near Hermosillo.
Climate
Because Cucurpe is located at a higher elevation, its weather is cooler than the desert areas to the west. The average temperature for the whole year is about 16.5 degrees Celsius (61.7 degrees Fahrenheit). In summer, temperatures rarely reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). During winter, you might see frost, and sometimes even snow in the higher parts of the area. The town gets about 466.8 millimeters (18.4 inches) of rain each year.
Economic Activity
Most people in Cucurpe work in agriculture. They mainly grow different types of grasses to feed cattle. The cattle farming business is not very big and needs more support to grow. There is also a mine called Santa Gertrudis, which has created new jobs for the community.
San Francisco Mine
The San Francisco mine is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) southeast of Cucurpe. It used to be a mine for gold, silver, and molybdenum. Today, it is well-known among people who collect minerals. This is because the mine has produced some really beautiful examples of a mineral called wulfenite.
