000072 Visit since
On May 31, 1918, as I clearly remember, I could
hear the lively orchestra music directed by José García Bernal,
coming from the main square. The village was celebrating a big event. Las
Peñas had been promoted to a Municipality. The people from the village
were ecstatic! A day prior to the event, the Sheriff, Señor, Pedro Amaral,
called a meeting at the house located on 113 Juárez, right next to the
police station. Young local men used to call this house the Casino. During the
meeting, Señor Amaral introduced private secretary of Governor of the State
of Jalisco, Señor Francisco Delgado, who was the carrier of important legal
State documents. Señor Delgado, gravely read enactment from the Honorable
State Congress, decree number 1889, which promoted Las Peñas to a Municipality,
and changed its name to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Señor Manuel Buquet was
acting Gorvernor of the State, for Governor Señor Basilio Badillo. The
State enactment that changed the name of Las Peñas to Puerto Vallarta during
the meeting held on May 30 would be formally disclosed to the public through a
town crier the following day. Young Daniel Ponce, son of Don Félix Ponce,
was selected to read the edict at the Square. It was 10
o'clock in the morning when the authorities gathered at the main Square. Among
the people at the ceremony were the Sheriff, Señor Amaral, and Señor
Don Jesús Langarica first Mayor of Vallarta, who was elected by vote majority.
The Head of Mexican Customs, the Head of the Post Office and Telegraphs, several
Customs agents, businessmen, and most of the local people were present at the
ceremony. The National Anthem was sung with solemnity.
Everybody cheered "Vivas" and applauded. We all ran over the streets.
The town crier stopped at every corner to repeat the edict, reading aloud with
music from the band playing in the background. There were a lot to festivities,
such as boat races, greased pole games, serenades and all, to mark this event
- not only memorable but also of great importance for the history of this beautiful
port. After the ceremonies, the new City Hall was founded.
Señor Jesús Langarica, from Talpa de Allende, was formally named
first Municipal President (Mayor), of the new Puerto Vallarta municipality. He
served a short eight-month term. Señor Langarica
was a merry man. He used to hang around with the young crowd and roam the streets
followed by a mariachi band. (This is a Mexican tradition of young men). He used
to stop at every friend's house, and would ask him or her for his or her favorite
songs to be played by the mariachi band. He would then whoop at each song with
guacos (typical Mexican throat sounds of joy). Later,
in 1949, the City Hall would name a street across Hidalgo after Señor Jesús
Langarica. This was an emotional event. Señor Langarica himself unveiled
the plaque of the new street carrying his name. Señor
Langarica passed away at 95 yars of age in the 15 of January 1956. He suffered
for a long time from a painful illness. Back in 1918,
Puerto Vallarta was a coastal sailing village with a population of 2,000. This
did not include the neighboring communities and ranches. Catalina
Montes de Oca Aguilar
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Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar Autobiography
Archives
by date Note: The segments from
the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos" -both versions- are published
in PVMirror.com with the express authorization of Sra. Yolanda Contreras de Garduño,
co-author of the work and owner of the copyrights thereto. Any reproduction thereof,
partial or total, in any medium is prohibited. Note:
Distinguished reader, if you know of any story, anecdote, biography or event,
or if you have any photographs that you feel should be presented to the world
through this section, or if you know someone we should interview to get more information
on the history of Vallarta, please feel free to contact us at: editor@pvmirror.com To
purchase the book
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