Yahualica is a town and municipality in the northeastern part of

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

, Mexico. It is one of the 125 municipalities that make up the state of Jalisco. Yahualica covers some 563.3 square kilometers and shares borders with the state of

Zacatecas Zacatecas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 31 states of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Zacatecas, 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City, Zacatec ...

. The name ''Yahualica'' is thought to be derived from the

indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology) In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...

roots of the

Nahuas The Nahuas ( ) are a Uto-Nahuan ethnicity and one of the Indigenous people of Mexico, with Nahua minorities also in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. They comprise the largest Indigenous group in Mexico, as well as ...

. It may be from "ayahuitl" meaning fog and "calli" meaning house, making Yahualica "the house of fog." Another proposed translation of ''Ayahuitl'' is "place surrounded by water" or "the round place".

History

1165: The region's inhabitants were the

Tecuexe The Tecuexe were an Indigenous peoples of Mexico, who lived in the eastern part of present-day Guadalajara. History It is believed that the Tecuexe derived from the dispersion of Zacateco groups from La Quemada. Like the Zacatecos, the Tecuexe w ...

s, who later fought the

Aztec The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...

s for control of the territory. 1530s : The Spanish, led by

Cristóbal de Oñate Cristóbal de Oñate (1504 — October 6, 1567) was a Spanish Basque explorer, conquistador and colonial official in New Spain. He is considered the founder of the contemporary city of Guadalajara in 1531, as well as other places in Nueva Gali ...

, conquered the region. 1824: Yahualica was constituted a municipality . Construction of the main temple in pink quarry, between the years 1850 and 1876. It became a political and judicial police station in 1896. It was renamed Yahualica de González Gallo in 1964.

Transportation

Yahualica is served by bus and taxi services, as well as highways leading into and out of Yahualica and throughout the city. The highway transit system includes Fed 71 and Jal 225 (

Jal 225 Jalisco State Highway 69 (JAL 225) is a east–west state route between the towns of Yahualica de González Gallo and Huisquilco, Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along ...

) which run entirely in the municipality. Fed 78, southbound, leads to

Tepatitlán Tepatitlán de Morelos is a city and municipality founded in 1530, in the central Mexican state of Jalisco. It is located in the area known as Los Altos de Jalisco (the 'Highlands of Jalisco'), about 70 km east of state capital Guadalajara ...

/ Cuquío and northbound to

Nochistlán Nochistlán () (Nahuatl: Nocheztlan, "land of cochineal") is a city in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, on December 3, 1531, hired Cristóbal de Oñate to establish a village in Nochistlán; the village would be named ...

Aguascalientes Aguascalientes, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes, is one of the 32 states which comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. At 22°N and with an average altitude of above sea level it is pre ...

. Jal 225 runs east towards the ranchos of Huisquilco, El Durazno, San Isidro, and Pastores. The closest airports to Yahualica are

Francisco Primo de Verdad National Airport Lagos de Moreno Airfield (); officially ''Aeropuerto Nacional Francisco Primo de Verdad'' (Francisco Primo de Verdad National Airport) is a small airstrip located in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico. It handles domestic air traffic and support ...

( away),

Aguascalientes International Airport Aguascalientes International Airport (); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo'' (Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport) ''(')'' is an international airport located in Aguascalientes, Mexico. It serves both do ...

( away) and

Guadalajara International Airport Guadalajara International Airport (); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla'' (Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport) , is the main international airport serving Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. It is Mexico’s ...

( away), each about a two-hour drive.

Economy

The economy of Yahualica is diverse, encompassing agriculture, stockbreeding, industry, commerce, and various services.

Stockbreeding

The region supports the raising of cattle, horses, and pigs, contributing to local agricultural and economic activity.

Gastronomy

Yahualica is known for its traditional cuisine, which includes ''birria'', spicy salsa, ''tostadas'', and regional candies. One of the most distinctive products of the area is ''chile de árbol'', a chili pepper that local producers claim is among the finest in the world due to its unique flavor and spiciness. The high quality of this chili is attributed to the region’s soil, climate, and long-standing cultivation techniques. The cultivation of ''chile de árbol'' is a crucial economic activity, supporting approximately 300 families in the municipality. Additionally, more than a dozen local industries produce hot sauces, which are widely used in Mexican cuisine.

Agriculture

Key agricultural products in Yahualica include corn, sorghum, oats, chili, beans, and peaches.

Commerce

The local economy includes businesses dedicated to the sale of essential goods as well as mixed commercial establishments that offer a variety of products.

Industry

The primary industrial activities in Yahualica focus on technology and manufacturing.

Services

The region offers a range of services, including professional, financial, administrative, technical, social, tourism-related, personal, and maintenance services.

Forestry

Oak plantations contribute to the local forestry sector.

Mining

The area contains deposits of manganese, which represent a potential resource for economic development.

Fishing

Local fisheries harvest carp and tilapia from regional water sources.

Cultural and tourist attractions

Architecture
Main square plaza
* Toledo hotel * Benito Juárez theater * Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel Catholic church (pictured at top right)

Sports

Yahualica has a soccer/futbol team in the Third Division of Mexico, Club Deportivo De Los Altos and C.D. Salamanca. ''El Club Deportivo Gallos'' is the soccer team that represents the municipality in Third Division of Mexico, local and state tournaments.

Notable people

José de Jesús González Gallo José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...

, politician *

Juan Sandoval Íñiguez Juan Sandoval Íñiguez (; born 28 March 1933) is a Mexican retired prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Guadalajara from 1994 to 2011. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1994. Ecclesiastical career He is ...

, Roman Catholic cardinal * Antonio Martínez, footballer *

Martín Vásquez Martín Vásquez Gómez (born December 24, 1963) is an American former professional Association football, soccer player. The first of five players to have played for both the United States men's national soccer team, United States and Mexico ...

, footballer

Yahualica in fiction

Yahualica is the setting for the novel ''Al filo del agua'', written by

Agustín Yáñez Agustín Yáñez Delgadillo (May 4, 1904 in Guadalajara, Jalisco – January 17, 1980 in Mexico City) was a Mexican writer and politician who served as Governor of Jalisco and Secretary of Public Education during Gustavo Díaz Ordaz's presidency ...