Imagine a virgin paradise, on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean, only habitated by some animal species, the Sun, the sea and the vegetation that do a green landscape of colors and ocher. This way it was Acapulco bay 3000 years ago. The first habitants of this zone were the Nahuas tribe, before the Aztecs, according to a few archaeological opposing vestiges that date back more than 2000 years.
In 1521, Francisco Chico, by Hernán Cortes's mandate and in name of the Spanish Wreath, ran aground his crafts in this area and was the first foreigner in treading on these Mexican lands, after it, he named them Saint Lucia. Newly founded city turned rapidly into a district of trade between Asia and America, with the continuous traffic of ships from the East that brought to the coasts, between other goods, the spices. Immediately after this economic boom, the population trebled and the prosperity called powerfully the attention of pirates as legendary as Sir Francis Drake, Morgan and Cavendish.
To defend to the port of the frequent pirate attacks the goverment got to construct San Diego's Fort so called Strong castle, which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 18th century. Acapulco is, especially, one of the most seismic zones of the country.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the King Carlos IV named Acapulco an Official City and a key piece of the Spanish Wreath. In the year of 1810, Jose Maria Morelos attacked and burned the city during the War of Independence.
Acapulco recovered its importance again during the Fever of the Gold, since many crafts were stopping to the port in its traffic towards Panama, several of them were remaining captured by the beauty of its beaches and they decided to stay there.
In 1920, Acapulco city began the race to become a tourist important destination, with the visit of the Prince of Wales and the future King Eduardo VIII. The captivation of Acapulco seduced the royalty prompt and they recommended the place to the whole Europe. The idea of generating hotel and commercial infrastructure was born in the head of a Texan businessman of surname Pullen, to whom the construction owes of what now is known as the old Acapulco. Later, the president Miguel Alemán transformed radically the port, installing electrical energy, drainage, paved streets and the first road from Mexico City to the port, which brought over to the tourism furthermore to this zone of the Guerrero state.
The economy increased and with it the foreign investment also. In 1950 began the golden time of Acapulco, since Acapulco became fashionable among the most quoted millionaires and the Hollywood personalities. Elizabeth Taylor contracted Acapulco for one of her weedings; Sinatra, Eddie Fisher, John F. Kennedy and Brigitte Bardot were faces known in the beaches.
During the 60's and 70's, new hotel consortia were constructed and there got cheaper costs of accomodations and transport, allowing the access to the national and foreign middle class. Little by little Acapulco has been designed for all the tastes and pockets.
In the 90's there was constructed the highway known as Ruta del Sol (Route of the Sun), who cuts the mountains between Mexico City and Acapulco. Now the trip in car only lasts 3 hours and a half, for what Acapulco has became a destination of weekend for thousands of capital cityzens.
Nowadays Acapulco continues in expansion and its infrastructures that grow constantly and with major number of foreign investors. Undoubtedly it is basic to visit this Mexican destiny where the nature and the night continue being the same that the Nahuas were admiring from their solitary beaches so many years ago.
Acapulco History
