Nacozari de García facts for kids
Nacozari de García is a small town in the northeast of Sonora, a state in Mexico. It's mostly known for its mining history. The town is surrounded by the Nacozari de García Municipality, which is like a larger area it belongs to.
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Where is Nacozari de García?
Nacozari de García is located in a mountainous area. It sits about 1,040 meters (or about 3,412 feet) above sea level. The area around the town is part of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. There's also a lake called La Angostura, which is a reservoir created by a dam on the Río Bavispe river.
In the year 2000, the town itself had about 11,193 people. The whole municipality, which is much larger, had a population of 14,363 people and covered an area of about 3,069 square kilometers.
How to Get There
The main town of Nacozari de García is on Federal Highway 17. This highway connects the town to Agua Prieta and Hermosillo. Agua Prieta is about 123 kilometers (or 76 miles) away.
There's also a railroad that connects Nacozari de García with Agua Prieta. For smaller planes, there's a small airport.
A Look at History
Nacozari de García started to grow when mines were discovered there in 1660. The very first settlement was called Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Nacozari. It was set up by a Jesuit missionary named Gilles de Fiodermon as part of a network of royal mines.
Mining Companies and Growth
Later, in 1867, a mining company called Anglo American U.B. Freaner bought the mines. They then sold them to The Moctezuma Copper Company, which was part of a bigger company called Phelps Dodge.
Phelps Dodge built American-style houses for its workers. They also built a library and a small hospital. At first, copper was moved by mules. But in 1904, a railroad was finished, making transportation much easier. By 1907, Nacozari had become a very important town in northeastern Sonora, with about 5,000 people. Most of these people were from Mexico and the United States, and some were from China. Phelps Dodge continued to operate the mines until 1948, when the copper ran out.
The Discovery of La Caridad Mine
In 1968, a very large copper mine called La Caridad was discovered about 20 miles southeast of Nacozari. This discovery brought new life to the town. By 1979, the population of Nacozari had grown back to about 3,000 people.
The Mexican government, through a company called Mexicana de Cobre, invested a lot of money to develop La Caridad and other mines nearby. Because of this, Nacozari's population grew rapidly, reaching an estimated 18,600 people in 1986 and 30,000 in 1989. Today, La Caridad is known as one of the largest copper mines in the world.
Honoring a Hero: Jesús García
The town was originally called Placeritos de Nacozari. But its name was changed to Nacozari de García to honor a brave railroad engineer named Jesús García. On November 7, 1907, Jesús García saved the town from a huge dynamite explosion.
Because of his heroic act, November 7 is now celebrated as the Day of the Railroader in Mexico. Many streets in Mexico are named after Jesús García or called Héroe de Nacozari (Hero of Nacozari). Poems and songs have also been written about him and the accident.
What "Nacozari" Means
The name "Nacozari" comes from the Opata language. It means "abundance of nopal", which is a type of cactus.
What People Do for Work
The main job in Nacozari de García is working at the copper mine, Mina Mexicana de Cobre, S.A de C.V. This mine employs most of the people who work in the town. In 2000, for example, 3,012 people worked there.
Raising cattle is also an important activity. In 2000, there were 16,375 cattle in the area. Many of the young cows (calves) are sold and sent to the United States of America.
Nearby Towns and Areas
Nacozari de García is surrounded by several other municipalities (like counties or districts). These include:
- Agua Prieta Municipality to the north
- Bavispe Municipality to the east
- Bacerac Municipality to the southeast
- Villa Hidalgo Municipality and Cumpas Municipality to the south
- Arizpe Municipality to the west
- Bacoachi Municipality and Fronteras Municipality to the northwest
See also
In Spanish: Nacozari de García para niños
