Los Mochis

Los Mochis
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
Seal
Los Mochis Location of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Coordinates: 25°47′24″N 109°0′0″W / 25.79°N 109°W / 25.79; -109
Country	Mexico
State	Sinaloa
Municipality	Ahome
Founded in	1893
Founded by	Benjamin F. Johnston
Government
- Mayor	Esteban Valenzuela García  PRI
Elevation	10 m (33 ft)
Population (2005)
- Total	451,977
Time zone	Pacific Time zone (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-6)
Website	www.ahome.gob.mx
1

Los Mochis (Spanish pronunciation: [los ˈmotʃis]) is a coastal city in northern Sinaloa, Mexico, located at 25°47′24″N 109°0′0″W / 25.79°N 109°W / 25.79; -109. It serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of Ahome. As of the 2005 census, the population was 231,977, or almost 60 percent of the municipality's population.

Overview

Los Mochis is the western terminus of the Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad, or ChePe, which passes through the scenic Copper Canyon. This railway was originally conceived by Albert K. Owen and approved by President Porfirio Díaz as a trade route linking the cattle markets in Kansas City with the nearest port on the Pacific Ocean, Topolobampo.

Today the North Pacific (Pacifico Norte) irrigation region (Sinaloa-Sonora) in which the "Valle del Fuerte" is the largest district and is the principal agricultural area of Sinaloa, containing over 70% of all irrigated land and producing sugar cane, cotton, rice, flowers, and many types of vegetables. The valley is one of the largest producers of mangoes in Mexico.

Air transportation is provided by Federal del Valle del Fuerte International Airport. Nearby Topolobampo is the second largest natural deepwater port in the world, known for its commercial fishing and increasingly important role in shipping.

Climate

Climate in Los Mochis is Tropical wet and dry. Summers are extremely hot, reaching 40 °C and overnight lows of 26 °C with very high humidity making the night extremely hot; its very humid and the heat index may reach 45 °C in the day. Winters are warm, reaching 30 °C in the day. Rainfall concentrates in the summer, it is common to see thunderstorms in the summer, winters are dry with almost no rainfall.

History

Los Mochis was founded in 1893 by a group of utopian socialists Americans attracted by Albert Kimsey Owen, an American civil engineer who built the first irrigation ditches in the valley. The colony, organized under the principles of utopian socialism, survived for 30 years. Albert K. Owen, the American civil engineer who came to these latitudes to do studies for the construction of a railway, was marveled by the Ohuira Bay, and imagined the city of the future, where railways and shipping lines converged to ship throughout the entire world. Today, the port city of Topolobampo continues to be developed and may one day reach Owen's dream.

The city itself was founded by a businessman named Benjamin F. Johnston, who came to make a fortune in the cultivation of sugar cane. The founding of the sugar mill produced a population boom in 1903.

Benjamin F. Johnston arrived at Topolobampo attracted by the city project of Owen. Johnston sees an opportunity to exploit resources such as sugar cane and together with Edward Lycan, who had been linked to Zacarias Ochoa, owner of a Trapiche(crude sugar mill) named "The Eagle", initiated the construction of a sugar mill. Ochoa died suddenly, and Johnston seized businesses that Lycan and Ochoa founded. "El Águila Sugar Refining Company" later became "United Sugar Company."

In 1898, Johnston laid the first stone of the sugar mill and drove the rapid growth of the city around it. The first harvest was welcomed in the year 1903.

Johnston was a very powerful and influential businessman, so powerful that he was the one that drew the street plans for Los Mochis, a modern city with wide and straight streets. Although it was not until 1903 when it was recognized along with Topolobampo, as a city. On 20 April 1903 a decree is founded by the mayor of Los Mochis, during the state government of Francisco Cañedo. In 1916, establishing the town of Ahome and since 1935 the municipal capital of the latter is located in the city of Los Mochis. It is currently the commercial center of Valle del Fuerte and its radius of influence extends from the southern part of the neighboring state of Sonora to the municipalities of El Fuerte Sinaloa, Choix, Sinaloa and Guasave.

The economic development of the city began with the sugar industry, but in recent decades, its progress rests on the high-tech agriculture is practiced throughout the region northwest of Mexico.

A group of enthusiastic people in la Villa de Ahome, under the name of "separatist" fought to create a municipality outside the hegemony of El Fuerte, achieved its objectives until 5 January 1917 that the mayor came to El Fuerte install new city hall in which he presided Ramon C. Lopez who had been appointed by the state governor Francisco Cañedo.

The municipality of Ahome was created by decree of the Local Legislature dated 20 December 1917, being governor of the state Gral. Angel Flores, and was appointed head of the municipality of La Villa Ahome.

In 1918 Florencio A. Valdes, was the first elected mayor.

The City Council Ahome preceded by Modesto G. Castro decided to make the move to the town of Los Mochis, justifying that this population had grown so much that already exceeded several times to La Villa de Ahome.

The City Council Ahome, in a decision dated 1 April 1935, allowed the change to the header, and the State Legislature passed it through another decree issued on May 10 next, which was published in the Official Journal of State the 30th day of the month.

The transfer took place without major problems right away and offices were installed in the house owned by Don Fco. Beltran, located at the corner of Hidalgo and Zaragoza next to the local occupied by the former Sindicatura.

The old town of Ahome, to remain laggard in the process of the region, had also been relegated to second place. Since then the city of Los Mochis, as the town of Ahome whole have had major changes both economic and social policy have remained constant progress to the municipality.

Traditions and popular activities

A popular activity among youth in Los Mochis is the "Leyvazo"; where people park their cars or cruise along Gabriel Leyva Avenue in downtown Los Mochis. Also there is the "Riazo" where the people park their car to listen to music, talk, and eat in the restaurants. Some people just cruise down Gabriel Leyva Avenue in their car with friends; this is known as " Dar El Roll". People also gather for a drink or barbecue under "Los Álamos" which are poplar trees that line the highway to Topolobampo Bay.

As well as these activities, many residents of the city enjoy visiting the nearby beach of El Maviri. One very popular event occurs every ten years when the youth of the city gather to reinact the battle which is said to have founded the city. Often the fattest person in the town will swim out into the water, and float into the beach and begin to attack the youth waiting on the beach. This is said to mimic the actions of the city's first enemy, David Illingworthos, who invaded the city in 1908 on a panga and drank every drop of beer in the city. Many people visit this semi-desert island to spend a day at the beach or enjoy the seafood delicacies.

Sports

Los Mochis is also known for its sports culture and sports centers(Ciudades Deportivas) to motivate the practice of sports. It has two big centers named "Ciudad Deportiva" that have running tracks, pools, tennis courts, baseball fields and a soccer stadium with a capacity of 11,000. The baseball team of Los Mochis is named Cañeros de Los Mochis, the soccer team is called Dorados de Los Mochis, and its basketball team is called Pioneros.

Sister cities

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009)