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Rocky Point Mexico!

A short history of Rocky Point

For years the community known as Puerto Peñasco to the Mexicans has been called Rocky Point by the Americans. Rocky Point in spanish would be Punta (not Puerto) Peñasco. Why the discrepancy?

Actually the name goes back much farther than we might suppose, considering the town was first settled only in the 1920's. It was 1826 that retired Lt. Robert William Hale Hardy of the British Royal Fleet was sailing along the coasts of Sonora and Baja California searching for pearls and precious metals in the sailing ship La Bruja (the witch). He baptized the point Rocky Point and it was identified as Rocky Point on marine maps until General Lázaro Cárdenas (who was to become president of Mexico in the 1930's) changed it to Puerto Punta Peñasco (Port Rocky Point). Americans dropped the Port, and Mexicans the Punta.

During the early 1920's Americans traveled from Tucson, Phoenix, Gila Bend and Ajo to fish for the enormous flying fish abundant in the nearby waters. For the wandering fisherman who traveled from Guaymas to the gulf of Santa Clara del Colorado, Rocky Point provided the ideal place for refuge from storms, thanks to the hill of volcanic origin, which the fishermen knew as "the hill of the whale", and the beautiful and tranquil estuary. However the sight did not offer the essential element they needed: water.

During Prohibition there sprang up along the border bars, clubs, hotels, and casinos, which offered thirsty Americans beer and liquor and, in some cases, women and gambling as well. Then John Stone, who owned the Hotel Cornelia in Ajo, decided to build a hotel-casino farther south, near the sea, to combine the money-making potential of fishing with that of alcohol. He dug a well for potable water 20 kilometers from the coast and recruited a number of fisherman who were willing to risk living in harsh conditions. So was born the town of Puerto Peñasco.

John Stone installed roulette, cards and dice tables. He also sold water which he imported from his well. More surprising, perhaps, he established an airline, Scenic Airlines, with direct flights to Phoenix and Tucson. The site was nearer what is now downtown Puerto Peñasco than the present airport. It is no longer in use and homes have been built on the land.

The fishermen who settled the town in the 1920's were left in dire straits when John Stone, a local hotel keeper, had a falling out with them and left town, burnong the Stone Hotel and blowing up the only well with drinking water for miles around. After that the townspeople had to depend on water carried by truck from Sonoyta, which was expensive and in short supply.

One day in 1936 , when the fishermen were sinking under the midday heat, when even the flies didn't have strength to move, there arrived in the village three automobiles. From one of the vehicles stepped out General Lázaro Cárdenas, president of the Republic.

The General saw a sad spectacle, men and women who appeared to be alive only through a miracle, living in caves, in tents, out in the open, unkempt and virtually without clothing. Tears came to his eyes. What they had said in the country was true.

The committee went out to a hill, and from there, the president began to plan an enormous wharf where cargo vessels would tie up, a railroad that would unify Baja California with the rest of the country, and a highway to the United States.

On March 20, 1937 the first spike was driven in the Sonora-Baja railroad by Don Ulises Irigoyen on behalf of President Lázaro Cárdenas

Simultaneously in Puerto Peñasco the wharf began operations, the well and the old Stone Hotel were rehabilitated and the urban development of the port was begun.

The importance of Puerto Peñasco owed much to the railroad, which created other sources of work, such as industrial shops and new hotels - among them the Hotel Mexico, the Hotel Miramar and luxurious Hotel Cortez. The last named was constructed of material from the US, supposedly as a result of a meeting between Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Lázaro Cárdenas of Mexico.

1939 saw a visit by Mexico's President Cardenas,who declared the area 'strategic' and pushed through a railroad link to Mexicali in 1940 & additional harbor dock projects. World's away on December 7,1941 Japan's attack on the United States Pacific Naval Fleet & the city of Honolulu,Hawaii would soon affect Peņasco's future. Ajo,Arizona quickly became the site of a military base & buildup as a military airfield & major supply-distribution center. Within days the State of Arizona & Pima County signed an agreement to build a paved highway from Ajo to Lukevile, Arizona. Construction began almost 'overnight'. The United States Government 'secured' Puerto Peņasco's harbor as a "Joint Contingency Plan" for part of its pacific naval fleet.The agreement included the U.S. Military building a military dock area in the harbor & a 65 mile paved highway from Lukeville,Arizona to Puerto Peņasco.(Note:The U.S. Military still has an agreement to use the highway 'when neccessary'). Several 'military actions' later occurred with Japanese mini-subs & fighter aircraft in the area.

1940's & 1950's were a time that 'New Peņasco' grew up,bringing the building of churches,elementary schools,shipyards,storesrestaurants,etc.

1952 the Mexican government recognized Puerto Peņasco as a city,and a government was established.The government appointed Victor Estrella Bustamante (one of the town's original fisherman & founders)

1965 the price of shirmp rode worldwide,and hundreds of commercial fisherman & boats from throughout Mexico poured into Peņasco.Suddenly the town had become the center of Mexico's fishing fleet.

1969 saw the city's 1st High School completed,and in 1971 it's only radio station'XEQC'(Queen of the Sea) to this day. Mexico's federal government began massive development projects in the coming years including the 1974 city wells/pumps/water pipeline project bringing water in from the natural underground springs 40 miles north of town.

1975 brought the completion of water lines to the city & the public sewer system.The year also saw a massive harbor project with more concrete docks,pier work,& dredging of the harbor's bottom.

1979 the city's 'Diesel Electricity Generator Plant' was closed (It's building still stands & is located on Juarez Blvd between Barra & Sonora Ave's) and Peņasco was hooked up to the National Electric System.

1979 also ushered in the paving of the main boulvard,and the building of new Police,Fire,and Community Hospital facilties.

1960's-1970's-Early 1980's were a time of huge financial fortunes made & squandered in Peņasco from fishing & supplying the fleet.The city was Sonora's 4th most important city.Massive homes were built around the area that survive in various states of repair-ownership to this day. By the mid 1980's the area's shrimp & commercial fish had been 'fished out',and Peņasco's fishing fleet-businesses-homeowners faced sudden bankruptcy.Loans,mortgages,account payments were being 'called' and hundreds of people left town,lost homes & businesses. Hope again sparked in the area during the late 1980's when the Mexican Federal Government sent a team to search the Peņasco area for OIL! Speculation was rampant,hotel rooms fetched unbelieveable prices,costs spiraled, and property prices 'believed containing oil' (or visited by the team) went through the 'roof' However, after many 'false starts' no oil was ever found,and Peņasco slipped back into it's destiny.

1988 marked 240,000 tourists visiting annually.The development of beach homes,R.V. parks, tourist strips (zones) quickly followed.

Early 1990's the Mexican Federal Government again stepped in,and this time declared the area a 'Conservation/Biosphere Zone' protected with very strick regulations on commercial fishing. Annually the population has been growing an average of 9% per year (Mexico City's average is 6.8%) and their are 92 births per 1,000 people. 75% of Peņasco's residents have emigrated from Mexico's other southern areas, bringing with them a mix of ideas & customs. Mexican citizens from throughout the country's rural areas flock to city's like Penasco in search of 'city jobs.' U.S. investors again come into Peņasco buying/starting (taking over) Construction, Advertising Supplements,Real Estate,Restaurants in the area.

1994 (December) a currency devaluation after which Mexicans ,and all foreigners with 'Peso' denominated investments,bank accounts loose 30% of their value & are faced with inflation on goods,services around 40% a year. Many local/foreign owned businesses start requiring U.S. dollars as payments on Mexican services,and debts.

1997 Hurricane 'Nora' hit parts of Peņasco ,especially damaging the shacks of the poor,and disenfranchised.

1997-01 ushers in more currency fluctuations of the Mexican 'Peso' denominated currency,investments,and inflation rates continue near 15-30%.Those having their savings in U.S. dollar accounts-based investments have seen their capital preserved & some profits increase.