The Cities and Towns of Mexico's West Coast Highway

In days of Spanish colonization of America's southwest, Magdalena was the jumping-off place for priest and soldier. The Mission San Francisco Xavier in Magdalena (established in 1690) is the mecca for thousands of visitors each October 4th for the Fiesta of San Francisco. Near this town are the ancient missions of Caborca, Pitiquito, Altar, Tubutama and San Ignacio.

Our next stop, and a pleasant stop it is, is at Hermosillo, the state capital of Sonora, 175 miles south of Nogales. The town was named in honor of Jose Maria Gonzalez Hermosillo, one of the heroes in the War of Mexican Independence. The population of the city is estimated at 40,000. Its elevation is 693. Hermosillo (airmoe-SEE-yo) is one of the miracle cities of Mexico. Under enlightened governmental leadership and with the support of a progressive citizenry, the city has practically been rebuilt since World War II. The new University and the Museum and Library are outstanding. There are three very fine hotels in Hermosillo, the Laval, San Alberto, and De Anza, and two modern motels, Porter's La Siesta and the Bugambilia. Hermosillo is modern Mexico at its best, a city you'll enjoy. You'll enjoy Guaymas, too, some 80 miles south through rolling desert hills. Here the desert meets the sea (or rather the Gulf of California), the fisherman's paradise. At Bocachabampo Bay, two miles west of the city, are the Hotel Playa de Cortez and Hotel Miramar, excellent hostelries, splendidly managed and operated. Luis J. Canalizo, manager of the Miramar, is the esteemed host, Don Luis, who probably has more fishermen friends than there are fish in the Gulf. There are several smaller hotels and several motels in Guaymas proper. With the development of agricultural projects at Hermosillo, through construction of Rodriguez Dam, and the increasing output of farm products in the Vaqui and Mayo Valleys of southern Sonora, Guaymas (why-mus) is becoming an important shipping center. The city's population is estimated at 21,000. Its biggest celebration is the Fiesta de la Pesca (Fish Festival) in Mav. Between Guaymas and Mazatlán, Sinaloa, a distance of 469 miles, is found some of the richest farming country in the world. Within the past ten years great rivers have been harnessed, thousands of acres of useless land have been brought into cultivation, production has soared to earn for the area the name: Bread basket of Mexico. Ciudad Obregon in the Yaqui Valley, Navajoa in the Mayo Valley, Los Mochis in the Fuerte Valley, all in Sonora; and Culican, the capital city of Sinaloa, surrounded by miles and miles of farm lands, are important agricultural centers teeming with activity. Culicán (coolya-CAHN) sends each winter as many as 8,000 carloads of tomatoes to American markets. New and larger dams are being planned or are being built both in Sonora and Sinaloa. The future of the area is one of unlimited progress and prosperity.

CORRECTION OPPOSITE PAGE: Lower photograph is incorrectly titled. The name of the village shown should be Plan de Barranca. The Barrancas describe the mountain area between Nayarit and Jalisco.

Some thirty miles east of Navajoa and the main high-way is the picturesque town of Alamos, Sonora, once a flourishing mining center, once the capital city of Sonora, now quietly dreaming of days of lost glory, but a scenic jewel for those who like out-of-way places.

At Mazatlán, the traveler comes again to the sea and its welcome breezes, and this time it is the Pacific. The city, with a population of 65,000, deserves its nickname: Pearl of the Pacific. A shipping and fishing center, Mazatlán is becoming one of Mexico's most important seaports. Hotel Freeman, Belmar, La Siesta and the new Playa de Mazatlán are recommended as are several new motels. Mazatlán's gayest week is Carnival Week, the week preceding the Lenten Season.

The tropics begin near Mazatlán. The green coastal plains of southern Sinaloa merge into the green highlands of the state of Nayarit (nie-ya-REET). Tepic (tay-peek), the capital of the state, is one of Mexico's more picturesque small cities. The population is about 14,000. An ambitious public works program has done wonders to the city. Construction has accented parks, playgrounds, schools and street. Sierra de La Loma and Posada de la Loma offer accommodations.

Tequila (tay-kee-la), Jalisco, is where the largest distilleries are located for the making of Mexico's national drink. The city is surrounded by vast maguey plantations which produce the cactus-like plant from which the potent liquor is made.

Guadalajara, capital of Jalisco (ha-lees-ko), is Mexico's second largest city. The city is famed for beautiful girls, music, poetry, art and handicrafts. There are many hotels and motels, offering fine accommodations. At an altitude of 5,037 feet the city has a year-round mild, pleasant climate, neither hot nor cold. There are innumerable points of interest within the city and vicinity, making it one of Mexico's most interesting places for the American traveler to visit.

The Open Road OF MEXICO THE RURAL SIDE OF MEXICO'S WEST COAST HIGHWAY

The highway of which we speak has many names: Officially, it is Mexico's Federal Highway No. 15; it is called Highway of the Pacific or the Pacific Highway; the West Coast Highway; the International Highway, because it is a continuation of U. S. 89, which begins in Canada. (Highway 89 boosters in our country have petitioned the Mexican government to change the highway number to "89," an attempt to keep the number in the family, so to speak.) It is one of the oldest traveled routes on the American continent; one of the newest important highways. Historically, it's El Camino Real, the King's Road, or the Royal Highway. Fray Marcos de Niza trudged along the route in 1539; then came Coronado and later Father Kino and his priests and the soldiers of Spain and Spanish colonists and civilization. The highway is a prodigious accomplishment in road building, something of which Mexico can be proud. The road conquers the tricky barrancas between Jalisco and Nayarit; it sails easily through the spongy coastal plains of Sinaloa; it crosses wide rivers and muddy lowlands; it spurns the heat of deserts. Yet much is still to be done and-one can happily report-much is being done. Safe and ample bridges are gradually replacing narrow, temporary structures; maintenance crews throughout the entire distance between Nogales and Guadalajara are working constantly to improve the weak spots; sign crews are busy putting up more adequate signs to make the road safer. Autos with trailers will find the journey easy.

Accommodations are not what they should be, although, as this is written, much is being done to remedy the situation. During the season from November to June, the motorist would be wise to make reservations ahead. Automobile clubs and travel agents can supply names of recommended places to stay. All of the larger cities have adequate restaurant facilities. The motorist is cautioned