They were so influential that they left legacies that are still important and recognized by society today.
MAZATLAN.- Have you ever wondered what the ancestral families were in Mazatlan? Next, we will tell you the story of 7 families that were not only “wealthy”, but were the families that marked the economic and social course of the port since the 19th century.
The Echeguren
Does the fifth Echeguren ring a bell? Originally from Spain, this family was considered one of the wealthiest in the port during the second half of the 19th century. José Martín Echeguren arrived in Mazatlán in 1842 to found two prosperous companies, financing part of the construction of the Municipal House in 1857 and the Military Hospital in 1862.
For his part, his son Pedro Echeguren de la Quintana would be the main promoter in the construction of the cathedral until his death in 1877, while Francisco, his other son, would invest in the port industry, creating the Sinaloa Foundry, the largest of northwestern Mexico, and financing the construction of the municipal market in 1899.
Melchers family
The members of this family were from Bremen, Germany, the curious thing is that they were great rivals of the Echeguren, or well, at least that was said in those years. The renowned Casa Melchers was founded in 1846 by the brothers Enrique and Jorge, who, like the Echegurens, financed part of the Municipal House and the Military Hospital.
In 1869 their descendants Carlos and Alejandro Melchers would enter, who would promote the production of Pacifico beer and the projection of banda music.
Valades
They were not businessmen, however, their fight for freedom and democracy led them to own the most important protest newspapers in the state. From the doctor Juan Jacobo Valadés, who would put aside his profession to fight against the French intervention and his son José Cayetano Valadés, founder and director of La Tarantula, whose accusations against the Francisco Cañedo government would cost him his life.
The Herrasti
This family is known more than anything for its home, better known as Casa Herrasti: a house that was built in 1907 as the family home of Doña Francisca Rojas de Paredes, a direct descendant of Don Bonifacio Rojas, who discovered the prosperous gold mine and silver from El Tajo in 1655. This discovery led to the founding of the nearby mining town of El Rosario, Sinaloa.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Casa Herrasti was a complete mansion, extending along an entire street, which is why it was considered one of the first luxurious mansions in Mazatlan. Today it is considered an architectural beauty of Mazatlan and more so because it continues to preserve that neoclassical style from the 19th century to the Art Deco of the early 20th century, mainly influenced by European constructions.
Diaz de Leon family
They were one of the prominent families of the port in the 20th century, they had various businesses, among them, a brewery called the Blue Ribbon, a chocolate factory and the tobacco factory “El Vapor”. They are also known for their home, as this is known as a “castle”, a house with English chalet architecture that is located on Carnaval Street in the Historic Center. Currently it makes it an architectural jewel of Mazatlan.
It is said that this family was so wealthy that they owned the entire block and even the point of building their home was to show how much money they had.
De Cima
Yes, the owners of the famous De Cima hotel that is located on the boardwalk. The first news about this family of Iberian-American origin in the port is about the establishment of the Arthur De Cima León electric power company in 1896, the second in the port after the installation made by Escobar y Hermanos.
From 1905 to 1928, the monopoly of water, electricity and telephone services operated in Mazatlán. In 1959, his grandson Arthur David De Cima built the hotel that bears his surname, the first to have a telephone and air conditioning.
Haas family
Guillermo Haas de la Vega was the son of the German soldier August Haas and, on his mother’s side, Rafaela, who was a member of a family that ruled Sinaloa until the mid-19th century. In 1985 he already owned the Central Hotel, the New World stores and the Western Bank in Mazatlan.
One of his grandchildren, Antonio Haas Espinoza de los Montero, the great-great-grandson of former Mexican President Valentín Canalizo, founded the Mazatlán Prize for Literature, twice won the national journalism award, and promoted the rescue of the abandoned Ángela Peralta theater. as well as the entire historic center of the port.
Source: punto.mx
