San Francisco Acuautla facts for kids

San Francisco Acuautla is a town located in the eastern part of the Estado de Mexico. It's about 4 kilometers from Ixtapaluca, which is the main town of the area. San Francisco Acuautla is bordered by Coatepec to the north, parts of Ixtapaluca and Ranch San Andrés to the south, Manuel Avila Camacho and Tlapacoya Ayotla to the east, and Magdalena Atlicpa to the west.

The town sits at 19 degrees 20 minutes latitude and 98 degrees 51 minutes longitude. Its land is about 2,300 meters (or 7,545 feet) above sea level. It is also part of the third section that divides the Ixtapaluca area.

Waterways

San Francisco Acuautla has three main streams, also called tributaries:

• "El Capulín" or "Azizintla" starts in the Cerro de Santa Cruz or Sabanilla hill.
• "El Texcalhuey" or "La Virgen" is located in the northern part of the town.
• "Las Jícaras" or "San Francisco" flows into Lake Texcoco. This stream begins in the Capulin Yeloxochitl and other hills.

All three of these streams flow through the mountain villages across Ixtapaluca. They eventually join the La Compañía river.

Weather

The climate in San Francisco Acuautla is generally temperate and humid. This means it's not too hot or too cold, but there can be some moisture in the air. The temperature changes with the seasons, just like in many places. On average, the temperature is around 15 °C (59 °F). The highest temperatures can reach 39 °C (102 °F), while the lowest can drop to –8 °C (18 °F) below zero.

Animal Life

San Francisco Acuautla used to be a very wooded area, full of trees. However, as the town grew and forests were used for resources, many wild animals started to disappear. This is called extinction.

Today, you might still find a few wild animals like deer, rabbits, ferrets, opossums, and owls. There are also different kinds of snakes, lizards, and spiders. Many people in the town also raise farm animals. These include pigs, chickens, turkeys, cows, horses, sheep, goats, quail, and ducks. Some of these animals have been raised here since ancient times, even before the Spanish arrived.

Plant Life

The community of San Francisco Acuautla is home to many different types of plants.

Fruit Trees

You can find several fruit trees here, such as fig, wild cherry, pear, apple, sapodilla, pomegranate, apricot, hawthorn, walnut, and peach.

Herbs and Medicinal Plants

Many useful herbs grow in the area. These include camphor, eucalyptus, pitch pine, peppermint, feverfew, basil, arnica, orange, rue, dandelion, mugwort, rosemary, horehound, chamomile, lemongrass, aloe, tepozán, datura, melissa, mullein, and chicalote. These plants have been used for different purposes, including traditional medicine.

Edible Plants

There are also many plants that people can eat. Some examples are pigweed, Montagu, purslane, truck, alfalfa, nopal (prickly pear cactus), ortiguilla, goatee, poor women, and maguey. The maguey plant was once very important for the community's economy.

Agriculture

Farming in San Francisco Acuautla mainly focuses on growing corn, beans, wheat, and barley. Other vegetables like tomatoes and squash are also grown. Temporarily, marigold flowers are cultivated as well.

Native Trees

Finally, two important native trees in the region are pirúl and huizache. These trees have been significant since before the Spanish colonial period.

Town Name and History

San Francisco Acuautla is a place rich in culture, history, and traditions. Its name comes from the first settlers. When they arrived in the area between the ancient communities of Coatepec and Ixtapaluca, they found a huge territory. This land had vast forests and lots of water flowing through its rivers.

Meaning of Acuautla

According to Olaguibel, the name "Acuautla" comes from two Nahuatl words: "ATL" (meaning water) and "Cuauhtla" (meaning forest). So, the name means "forest in the water" or "forest by the water." In Nahuatl, compound names like this don't always use words like "in" or "next to." Therefore, a direct translation of Acuautla is "Water Forest."

The Parish of St. Francis of Assisi

One of the oldest buildings in Acuautla is the parish church, built to honor St. Francis of Assisi. Franciscan missionaries, who helped spread Christianity in the community, built it in the mid-16th century.

The church has one level. Its main front is smooth with lime plaster. The walls are made of stone and are very thick, about 0.80 meters (2.6 feet) wide. The roof is a stone vault. Originally, the parish started as a small chapel. It used to have a railing on the outside that covered the stairs, but this disappeared over time. The arch of the parish church still looks much like it did originally, though its color has changed.

The Historical Image

Inside the church, there is a very old and important wooden image of St. Francis of Assisi. This image is a historical treasure for the Acuautla community. It came from Europe and was brought by missionaries during colonial times. They used it to help teach the native people about Catholicism.

Because the image is so old, it has been repaired many times. These repairs have added layers of fiberglass and plaster to it. The image still looks mostly like it did originally, except for its right hand. People say that the hand used to be turned upwards and held a book and a skull. It's possible this change happened during the Mexican Revolution, but it's not fully confirmed.

Village Feast

The village celebrates its main feast day on October 4th. This is a big event with a grand procession through the main streets of the town. During the procession, large carpets made of sawdust are placed on the ground. Many local people and visitors join in the celebration. Fireworks light up the sky, making the town look very festive.

Transportation

Today, people in San Francisco Acuautla use trucks and "combi" vans for transportation. These vehicles follow several routes:

• La Virgen–Ixtapaluca
• La Virgen–La Paz
• San Francisco–Airport
• Uprez–Ixtapaluca
• Uprez–La Paz
• La Presa–Ixtapaluca

These transportation services usually run from 4:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (midnight).

See also

In Spanish: San Francisco Acuautla para niños