Day Trip To Mineral de Pozos

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This was an interesting day trip and a real eye-opener.  Google Maps could have done a better job of getting us there.  We were taken on two detours that had nothing to do with the town and those were interesting side trips.  One was a huge church we could see off in the distance.  We hadn't taken the route to Los Rodriguez, the city of topes.  The highway runs through the town and there are over 16 enormous topes.   We couldn't recall seeing it before so off we went down the dirt road with all of its potholes. It reminded me of some 😅 close to home.

There isn't even a town, a small square around the church and a few houses.  We saw about 5 construction workers and an older man I assumed was the engineer or architect.  Turns out he is a neighbor that likes to poke around.  The church is completely new and all of the stone is imported from the U.S.  I didn't ask any other questions as I knew who was building the church.  Some bad guy in the middle of it all wanted to build a monument to himself.  A beautiful church but a bit confusing.

Arriving to Mineral de Pozos , the town is undergoing its second renovation.  The town seems to be scattered around the outskirts of the main plaza which is probably 40 by 80 meters.  The shops around the plaza are original structures that are propped up and not in good condition.   They say the place is packed on weekends and holidays but we didn't see but a handful of locals.

These two pictures (above and below) are part of a park renovation but everything is fenced off with chain link.   Not sure why and there really isn't anyone around to ask.  There was no access to the church as it too was cordoned off and locked up. 

There was the main church next to the plaza.   As we were looking around the interior of the church there was a small procession leaving the church but only about 10 participants were with the priest and the two altar boys.  

We took a drive to the other end of town.  The streets have some been reworked with cobblestone and stone sidewalks.  Those are now being torn up to connect to the electric grid.  I'm not sure who comes up with the plans but I am sure it was an illustrious mayor who, after being elected, decided they would put their own designs into place.  

Before the Mexican Revolution, Porfirio Diaz, the 30-year dictator who was responsible for modernizing Mexico with railroads, electrification, and the introduction to the oil industry, had a plan for the poor.  He felt everyone had a right to learn to read and write.  Not much more than that, but that was important.  Here in Mineral de Pozos, he built a huge complex to educate the native Mexicans.  Today, in addition to the original school, a small commercial plaza was built across the street to bring more tourism.  That was just before the pandemic and today is abandoned and run down.  There is a small museum on the grounds of the school.  We had to track down a cleaning lady who had keys and was able to open the museum for us.  Really nothing to see and a true disappointment.  Fortunately, we only paid 20 pesos each which I am sure will never make it into the city coffers 😉

However, we always try to walk away with something of value that we can add to our knowledge of a place and its people.  We came across this sign about the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution and its effects on Mineral de Pozos.  Interestingly enough, somewhere on this blog, I posted a similar description of the revolution's failure in a museum in Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan when we house-sat the horse farm.

Here is a translation:

First the Mexican Revolution and after, the Cristera War, the atmosphere and insecurity were the final straw for Mineral de Pozos.  The poverty the population fell into, the lack of public services, the township moving to other cities, and political interest, the town lost its status as a municipality and was passed on to San Luis de la Paz (between Pozos and SMA).  With the advent of the stock market crash, the steep reduction in raw materials and mineral such as silver and gold, Mineral de Pozos fell to its lowest level in history.

Just another example of how socialism provoked by revolution has never worked.  As always, other interests have their hands n the cookie jar.

The "Antigua Escuela Modelo" or school model was the fashion of the day to incorporate native people into society.

Truly magnificent architecture built in 1900.

An interesting day trip that the failures of both a dictatorship and socialism.  I don't want to go back, it was truly heartbreaking.  We attempted to go up to the mines but you have to use a 4X4 or razer to get there and the dust in the town combined with the few very narrow streets didn't make for a desirable visit.   We were anxious to get back home.

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