El Caracol, Michoacán Facts for Kids

El Caracol is a small village nestled in the mountains of the Mexican state of Michoacán. It's part of the municipality of Hidalgo. You can find it about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) south of Mil Cumbres, high up at 2,896 meters (9,501 feet) above mean sea level.

The weather in El Caracol changes with the seasons. From July to February, temperatures are usually between 4 and 26 degrees Celsius (40–79 degrees Fahrenheit). From March to June, it gets a bit warmer, ranging from 16 to 32 degrees Celsius (60–89 degrees Fahrenheit). The air isn't very humid, and you'll hardly find any mosquitoes, snakes, or other pests here.

A Look Back: El Caracol's History
Village Traditions
Gallery
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A Look Back: El Caracol's History

El Caracol is believed to be one of the oldest villages in its area, possibly dating back to the mid-1400s! There aren't many written records from that time. Instead, its history has been passed down through generations by the local people, mostly through exciting folk tales.

The Tale of Two Priests

One famous folk tale tells a story of a difficult separation long ago. It's said that two priests caused a big change in the village. One priest decided that the land where the village stood wasn't good for it to grow. So, many people followed him to a new valley, which is now known as San Antonio Villalongin.

A friendly rivalry began when the priest from San Antonio wanted to take some important church items from El Caracol. These included statues of saints and a huge, three-ton, gold-plated bell! The story says they tried to move a four-foot statue of San Isidro Labrador, but it just wouldn't fit through the temple door. After they couldn't take the items, the priest from San Antonio walked up the mountain to a spot called La Cruz del Toro and, according to the tale, put a curse on the town.

El Caracol's Lumber Boom

In the late 1970s and 1980s, El Caracol became a very busy place. It was a major center for lumber! There were as many as 34 lumberyards, along with shops that made cabinets and bed boards. They produced thousands of wood products and sent them all over Mexico. During this time, the village's population grew to nearly 5,000 people. To help everyone, new primary and tele-secondary schools were built, along with a bigger temple.

People on the Move

El Caracol has often been a place where people stop before moving on. In the 1950s and 1960s, people from nearby villages came to live in El Caracol. At the same time, many people who were originally from El Caracol moved to Mexico City.

Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, the trend changed. People from El Caracol started moving to bigger cities like Morelia or even to the United States. Many went to places like Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Atlanta, Georgia. Meanwhile, people from smaller surrounding villages, such as La Palma, San Juan, and El Astillero, began to move into El Caracol.

Today, there are about 2,700 people living in the village. Most of them are either under 15 years old or over 45. Some young people have moved to Morelia to continue their studies, and many others are working in the United States.

Village Traditions

El Caracol has some special traditions and ceremonies. One important event is a re-enactment of the Birth, Last Supper, and Passion of Christ, which is a religious play. Another big tradition is the migration on July 16, which is the day of La Virgen Del Carmen (Our Lady of Mount Carmel).