Piedras Negras, Coahuila

Piedras Negras is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. It stands at the northeastern edge of Coahuila on the U.S.-Mexico border, across the Río Bravo (Rio Grande) from Eagle Pass in the U.S. state of Texas. In the 2005 census the city Piedras Negras had a population of 142,011 people, which accounted for 98.6 percent of its municipality's total population of 143,915. The municipality's area is relatively small, but does include some outlying minor localities not located inside the city limits. The Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras area is connected by the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Bridge, Camino Real International Bridge, and the Eagle Pass Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge.

The city was founded in 1849. It was renamed Ciudad Porfirio Díaz in 1888, in homage to President Porfirio Díaz, but reverted to its original name following the Mexican Revolution.

In Spanish Piedras Negras translates to "black stones" • a reference to the coal deposits that exist in the area. Across the river, coal was formerly mined on the US side at Dolchburg, near Eagle Pass. This mine closed around 1905, after a fire. Mexico currently operates two large coal-fired power plants named "José López Portillo" and "Carbón 2" located 30 miles (48 km) south of Piedras Negras.

History

On 15 June 1850, a group of 34 men (commanded by Andrés Zapata, Gaspar Salazar and Antonio Ramírez) met with Colonel Juan Manuel Maldonado to give the news that they had created a pass point at Piedras Negras, to the right of the Rio Grande, south of Fort Duncan; and having given it the name of: Nueva Villa de Herrera. Later on it would be renamed Villa de Piedras Negras. In Otto Schober's "Breve historia de Piedras Negras," the local historian points out that the 34 men in in question were repatriates (Mexican Americans) that arrived on June 15, 1850 in what was then called "Colonia Militar de Guerrero en Piedras Negras."[2]

Due to the discovery of huge deposits of coal at the region, in 1881 a railroad track was begun, finishing in 1883. With this construction, the regional economy flourished and on 1 December 1888, it was granted the status of city; this time with the name of Ciudad Porfirio Díaz. After the fall of Diaz in 1911, the city reverted back to Piedras Negras, Coahuila.

Geography

Demography

In the Northern Region of Coahuila there are approximately 300,000 inhabitants. According to the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Data Processing (INEGI), in 2005 the population of the municipio of Piedras Negras was of 143,915 inhabitants; this is equal to 5.77% of the population of Coahuila. 17% of the population of Piedras Negras came from other states, 3% are foreigners, and the rest are native-born in Coahuila. Piedras Negras has a high population growth due in part by its status as a border city fueled by US bound exports from several factories and also by persons who hope to cross the border into the United States. It is estimated that in a couple of years it will become the third most populated city of the state of Coahuila, surpassing Monclova. Nowadays Piedras Negras counts with more than 200,000 habitants.

Climate

The climate of the region is semi-arid and Hot. During summer the temperatures often surpass 40°C. The hottest months are May through September with a daily average (mean) temperature between 79°F (26°C) and 88°F (31°C).

Highest precipitation months are May, June and September with an average monthly downfall in excess of 3.1 inches (80 mm) but that is highly sporadic lending to frequent drought conditions. The period of lowest precipitation is between December through March, with a monthly average of 1.2 inches (30 mm).

Natural Resources

This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.

Tourism

Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:

1. The Macro Plaza (Designed and Built by Cesar Dominguez, AIA, LEED AP) which is made up by two same-sided plazas that contain sport areas, a kiosk and restaurants where you can eat food. in the independence day the ceremony uses to be there and the plaza is ornate and decorated with typical ornaments and people can put restaurants of typical food.
2. The ruins of San Bernardo Mission (XVIII century)
3. The Handicrafts Museum
4. The Culture House
5. The Hunting and Fishing Club
6. De La Ventana Caverns
7. Mercado Zaragoza, known simply as El Mercado ("the Market"), a folklore peasant market where one is able to buy a variety of original arts and crafts from the state: vases, leatherworked items, fine crystal, clay and ceramic wares, as well as candy made through traditional recipes found in the region.
8. El Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Built in 1859 of ashlar, cement and wood, this church has survived the battles of the Cristero movement in 1927 and an explosion in 1934, leading to its renovation in 1935. The construction of its current towers began in 1950.
9. Plaza de las Culturas (Cultures' Plaza), a new park completed in 2005. The Plaza is a homage to Mexico's three main indigenous cultures: Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec. It features a replica of a pyramid representative of the style of each of the cultures, the biggest one being a replica of the Pyramid of the Sun, located in Teotihuacan, near Mexico City.

   Trivia

   Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (December 2007)

   • Piedras Negras is the birthplace of Hector Ruiz, the former Chairman and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD).
   • The birthplace of the nacho.^{[citation needed]}
   • Birthplace of Marilyn Monroe's mother Gladys Pearl Monroe.
   • The home town of the rock band Oh! Dafne
   • The hometown of Mexican novelist and criticist Rafael Acosta, author of Mosquitos buscando luz.
   • The home of the ex-vocalist of the band Elefante.
   • Birthplace of the priest Octaviano Elizondo L. C. first legionarie priest of Piedras Negras.
   • The hometown of Oscar "Basi" Ortiz, founder of rock group Chicote, now soloist as Lbasi.
   • The birthplace of modern architect Carlos Valdes.
   • Appeared in the movies No Country For Old Men, and Como agua para chocolate.
   • Birthplace of Juan Olivares, lead singer of Rescate Eagle Pass Tx Firefighters Band.

   Local Media

   Newspapers

   • Periódico Zócalo (Zócalo News)
   • Periódico La Voz (La Voz News)
   • Periódico El Día (El Día News)
   • Revista Bravo!
   • El Tranchete (Periódico informal)

   Radio

   • EXA FM 105.5
   • Di-94.5 FM Dinámica Auditiva
   • K93 FM (Eagle Pass,TX)
   • Súper Estelar 107.9 FM
   • Amor 107 FM
   • Romántica 99.9
   • Ke Buena 99.1 FM XHSL
   • Radio Gente FM 102.5 XHPNC
   • La Consentida 104.4 FM
   • Fiesta Mexicana 106.3 FM XHPSP
   • La Mexicana 1320 AM
   • La Norteñita 830 AM XEIK
   • Radio Popular Fronteriza S.A. 920 AM XEMJ
   • La Rancherita del Aire 580 AM XEMU

   Local Television

   • Televisa Piedras Negras (XHPN)
   • TV Azteca Piedras Negras
   • Visión 10 (XHPNW)
   • RCG Piedras Negras
   • Multimedios TV Piedras Negras / Eagle Pass (XHAW)
   • International Bridges Channel

   Internet

   • Internet Cablecom • Internet / Cable
   • Prodigy by Telmex • Internet / Telephone

   Internet Local News

   • Periódico Zócalo Sitio Web
   • Agencia de Noticias INFONOR
   • Agencia de Noticias SIP
   • Coahuila en Línea
   • Territorio de Coahuila y Texas

   Sports

   • Baseball • Astros Piedras Negras

   Recent events

   • On 4 April 2004, the Río Escondido (a tributary of the Río Bravo) broke its banks and some 36 residents of the Piedras Negras area were killed or vanished after the resulting flash floods.^[2]
   • In 2007, a tornado hit both Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass on April 24, killing three people in Piedras Negras and seven people in Eagle Pass. Several others were injured and homeless in both communities. See also Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass Tornadoes

   Sister cities

   Piedras Negras has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

   • Sandy, USA
   • Monterrey, Mexico

   References

   1. ^ [1]
   2. ^ NOAA Global Hazards and Significant Events April 2004
   • Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática

   External links

   • Municipio de Piedras Negras Official website
   • Asociacion de Agentes Aduanales de Piedras Negras

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Categories: Populated places in Coahuila | Mexico • United States border crossings | Populated places established in 1850