Aculco

Aculco
Aculco
Municipality
	Lord of the Pasito Church
	Seal
	Aculco municipality
	Aculco
	Coordinates: 20°05′54″N 99°49′37″W / 20.09833°N 99.82694°W
Country	Mexico
State	State of Mexico
Region	Atlacomulco Region
Municipal seat	Aculco de Espinoza
Municipal status	1825
Government
• Municipal President	Jorge Alfredo Osornio Victoria (2019–2021)
Area
• Municipality	465.7 km2 (179.8 sq mi)
Elevation (of seat)	2,450 m (8,040 ft)
Population (2010) Municipality
• Municipality	44,823
• Seat	1,624
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (US Central))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central)
Postal code (of seat)	50360
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Town of Aculco, Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Type	Cultural
Criteria	II, IV
Designated	2010 (34th session)
Reference no.	1351
Region	Latin America and the Caribbean

Aculco is a municipality located in the Atlacomulco Region of the State of Mexico in Mexico. The name comes from Nahuatl.^[2]^{[further explanation needed]} The municipal seat is the town of Aculco de Espinoza, although both the town and municipality are commonly referred to as simply "San Jerónimo Aculco".

The municipality is 110 kilometers away from Mexico City, and is known for its artisans and cheeses, according to El Heraldo.^[3] Aculco currently has a population of over 44,823 inhabitants.^[1]^[4] The mayor or municipal president of Aculco is Jorge Alfredo Osnornio.^[3]

History

Aculco was founded approximately in 1110 AD by the Otomies, despite the fact that its name comes from Nahuatl. After being a village inhabited by Otomies for long time, it became a region dominated by the Mexicas, who lived there many years before the founding of Tenochtitlan.^[4]

With the arrival of the Spanish in 1540, construction on the church and the convent of San Jeronimo began. In November 1810, Miguel Hidalgo and his contingent, who began the Mexican War of Independence, arrived in the region. Aculco was also where insurgents, led by Don Miguel Hidalgo, lost a battle against the troops of Felix Ma. Calleja.^[4]

During the nineteenth century, the town hall and the first primary school in the region were constructed. Public baths and a municipal pool were also built.^{[citation needed]}

On February 19, 1825, it became a municipality. In 1914 and 1915, Aculco was the scene of clashes led by the revolutionaries’ carrancistas, villistas and Zapatistas.^[4]

Geography

The municipality of Aculco has a geographical extent of 484.7 square kilometres (187.1 sq mi). That represents 2.18% of Mexico State, of which it is a part of.^[4] Aculco borders Polotitlán in the north, Querétaro in the south, and Acambay and Timilpan in the south.^[5] It is approximately 100 kilometers away from or over 1 hour from Toluca, Toluca.

Climate

Aculco has a relatively cool, humid climate, with rain in the summer. The annual average temperature is of 13.2 °C (55.8 °F), with the lowest temperature occurring in the winter. The rain season starts at the end of March or beginning of April and lasts until October or November.^[4]

Flora and fauna

There is a diversity in plants and animals of temperate climate and semi-arid climate (Mezquital Valley).

Native animals include: cacomistle, skunk, gopher, Virginia opossum, rabbit, Mexican gray squirrel, turkey, colibri, turkey vulture, northern mockingbird, rattlesnake, pine snake, black phoebe, rufous-crowned sparrow, great horned owl, axolotl, frog, toad, red ant, bee, and others.

Politics

Mayors

Sworn in to the role on December 13, 2018, Aculco Jorge Alfredo Osornio Victoria will remain president until 2021.^[6] He was previously a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party.^[7]

Mayor	Time
Vicente Sosa Alcántara	2000-2003
Jesús Alejandro Aguilar Sánchez	2003-2006
Francisco Javier Venancio Ramirez	2006-2009
Marcos Javier Sosa Alcantara	2009-2012
Salvador del Rio Martínez	2013-2015
Aurora González Ledezma	2016-2018
Jorge Alfredo Osornio Victoria	2019-2021

Economy

The main economic activity of Aculco is the ranching of animals like pigs and sheep. The municipality's principal products include milk, fur, wool and egg. Aculco's inner commerce principally occurs at the municipal market, while its outer commerce is with Toluca, Mexico City and Querétaro.

Another major economic activity of Aculco is the exploitation of natural resources like sand, with quarries present in the region.^[8] The municipality is also home to a metal structure manufacturing company.^[4]

Aculco is famous for the dairy products it produces. In 2019, Aculco has about 60 artisan workshops for cheese and dairy production.^[9]

Tourism

Aculco contains a number of notable geographic features. Two cascades are located in the area: "Tixhiñu" and "la Concepción". Rivers including the Río Ñadó and Río Prieto also flow through the municipality.

Aculco is home to numerous historic sites, including the San Jerónimo and the "Garrido Varela" bullring,^[5] as well as the former residence of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Two busts are located in Aculco in the memory of Benito Juarez and Miguel Hidalgo.^[4]

Demographics

According to INEGI, in 2005, Aculco has a population of over 40,000. The ethnic composition is mainly Otomi.^[4]

Over 16,000 people in the region are illiterate.^[10]

Communities belonging to the municipality

Large Town	2010 Census Population
Total	44 823^[1]
San Lucas Totolmaloya	3 770
San Jerónimo Barrio	2 322
Gunyo Poniente	2 138
Aculco de Espinoza	1 823
San Pedro Danxhi	1 119
Decandeje
Ñadó Buenavista
Cieneguilla de González
Arroyo Zarco

Other communities include:

Arroyo Zarco
Arroyo Zarco Ejido
Ñado Buenavista
Bañe
Bimbo
Decandeje
Ejido de Santa María Nativitas
Ejido de Totolopan
Ejido Decandeje (Chapala Ejido Decandeje)
Ejido las Ánimas
Ejido San Joaquín Coscomatepec
El Azafrán (Santa Rosa el Azafrán)
El Bonxhi
El Bosque
El Colorado
El Mogote
El Rincón
El Tixhiñu
El Zethe (Jazmín)
Encinillas Ejido
Fondo
Gunyo Oriente
Gunyo Poniente (San José Gunyo)
Higuerillas
Huizachal
Jurica
La Cofradía Grande
La Concepción Ejido
La Concepción Pueblo
La Cuesta
La Esperanza
La Estancia
La Pera
La Presita Segundo Cuartel
La Soledad Barrio
La Soledad Ejido
Las Lajas
Loma Alta Cabresteros
Loma Alta Ejido Bañe (Bañe Barrio CONASUPO)
Los Ailes
Los Gavilanes
Presa del Tepozán
Rancho Chapala
San Antonio Arroyo Zarco
San Antonio el Zethe
San Antonio Pueblo
San Francisquito
San Jerónimo Barrio
San Jerónimo Ejido
San Joaquín Coscomatepec
San Lucas Totolmaloya
San Martín Ejido
San Pedro Denxhi
Santa Ana Matlavat
Santa Ana Oxtoc-toxhie
Santa María Nativitas
Santiago Oxtoc-Toxhie
Taxtho

Culture

The foundation of the Aculco municipality is celebrated on February 19.^[11] In March and April, the municipality holds a scenic performance of Semana Mayor that starts on Holy Thursday, in honor of Señor Nenthé.^[11] There is a festival to the Saint Patron Saint Jerome on September 30, including regional fairs, dances, and food.^[11]