Minas de Oro Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Minas de Oro
Minas de Oro Location in Honduras
Country	Honduras
Department	Comayagua
Area
• Total	390 km² (150 sq mi)
Elevation	1,060 m (3,480 ft)
Population (2015)
• Total	13,341
• Density	34.2/km² (88.6/sq mi)
Area code(s)	27
Website	www.minasdeoro.info

Minas de Oro is a town and a municipality in the Comayagua region of Honduras. It is known for its history linked to gold mining.

Geography of Minas de Oro
History of Minas de Oro
Education in Minas de Oro
Villages and Communities
- Main Villages
- Smaller Communities (Caserios)
Notable People from Minas de Oro
Places to Visit in Minas de Oro
- Cerro Pelon
- Other Interesting Sites
Images for kids
See also

Geography of Minas de Oro

A map of Honduras.

Minas de Oro is located in the northeast part of Comayagua. It is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of Tegucigalpa, which is the capital city of Honduras.

The town is surrounded by three mountains: Grande, El Cobre, and El Peñón. It shares borders with several other areas. To the north is the district of Victoria. To the south, you'll find the districts of San Luis and Esquías. To the east is the San Jose del Potero district, and to the west is the La Libertad district.

A map of Minas de Oro in Honduras.

History of Minas de Oro

Minas de Oro was first settled because of gold. Many people moved to the area during "gold rushes" to find this valuable metal. One famous person, Juan Lindo, even discovered a gold mine here during one of his visits. This is why the town is called "Minas de Oro," which means "Gold Mines" in Spanish.

Later, in 1893, Minas de Oro became an important center. This happened during the time of General Domingo Vazquez. People argued that the town was growing quickly. It had a strong shoe-making industry and good trade connections with Tegucigalpa and the northern coast. Also, coffee farming was increasing in the area. These reasons helped Minas de Oro become a key place in the region.

Education in Minas de Oro

Minas de Oro: A City of Education

In the 1990s, Minas de Oro earned a special nickname: "city of education" in Honduras. This was because it was the only municipality where every single town had access to a primary school. This meant all young children could get an education.

The Malcotal School

Minas de Oro once had a school called the Malcotal School. It focused on teaching about farming and forests. An American person led this school. Today, only one building from this school remains. It has been turned into a place for tourist retreats. You can find it on the road that leads to Minas de San Antonio.

Evangelical Boarding School

From the 1960s to the 1990s, Minas de Oro was home to the well-known Evangelical Institute. This school had a boarding house, so students from all over Honduras could live there while they studied. It was famous for its music, English language, and Bible lessons. The school closed in the early 1990s. This was due to problems like unsafe roads, high fuel costs, and other challenges.

Villages and Communities

Main Villages

Here is a list of the main villages that make up the municipality of Minas de Oro:

031101 Minas de Oro
031102 Agua Blanca
031103 El Socorro
031104 El Zompopero
031105 La Hoya de la Puerta
031106 Las Huertas
031107 Minas de San Antonio
031108 Montecitos
031109 Pimientilla
031110 San Isidro del Mal Paso
031111 Santa Cruz

Smaller Communities (Caserios)

The municipality also includes many smaller communities, called caserios:

Quebrachal
La Piedra
La Joya de Mulas
El Salitre
La Canada
Los Pozos
Palo de Agua
Mal Paso
Las Lomitas
Las Majadas
El Filo
El Carrizalito
La Laguna
La Florida
La Rosita
Hoya del Blanco
Lagunitas
Joya del Blanco
Hacienda Vallecillos
San Jose del Coyolar
Casitas
El Carao
El Chorro
El Barro
El Paraiso
Italia
Majada
El Cacao
Platanares
Majada de Trino
Maguelito
La Laguna
Canquigue
Potrerillos
La Tejera
Cofradia
La Ceiba
Jupuare
El Salitre
Ojo de Agua o Pozo Zarco
El Palote
Las Cruces
Cristales
Mal Paso
Terrero Colorado
Cerro El Sombrero
Pedernales
El Tablon
Las Ventanas
El Zapote
Pie de La Cuesta
El Bijao
El Pataste
Los Chaguites
El Higuerito
Piedra Ancha
Corralitos
Las Pinuelas
El Caliche
Nicaraguita
Montanuela
La Granadilla
Iran
El Peñon
El Socorro
Nueva York
Rio Colorado
Patastillo
La Chacara
El Agua Caliente
El Guarumal
Tontales
Casas Viejas
La Peña
Hacienda El Roble
El Trozo
Lava Oro
La Pimienta
Jicarito
Ojo de Agua

Notable People from Minas de Oro

Minas de Oro is home to several well-known individuals:

Neida Sandoval – She is a famous host of the morning TV show Despierta America. This show is on the Spanish language network Univision.
Vicente Cáceres – He was a respected teacher in one of the largest public schools in Honduras.
Ramón Carías Donaire – He was also a teacher and served as the principal of the Villa Ahumada Normal School.
José María Calix – He is known for his work as a journalist.

Places to Visit in Minas de Oro

Cerro Pelon

Cerro Pelon is a mountain located north of the city. Its name means "Bald Hill" because it doesn't have many large trees. Instead, you'll find desert plants like cacti, small palm trees, and bushes. The mountain also has many caves that are popular for visitors to explore. This site is sometimes called Cerro Grande (Large Hill) or Cacalotepe.

Other Interesting Sites

Evangelical Institute installations: These are the buildings of the former famous school.
El Malcotal installations: What remains of the agroforestry school.
El Manantial Ecocenter: A place focused on nature and the environment.
Cerro Los Tornillos: Another interesting hill in the area.
Some closed mines: You can see the sites of the old gold mines that gave the town its name.