Guaymas Old And New---Part One

Guaymas Old And New---Part One

I have been searching for some old photos of our new home and trying to learn some of it's history. The following is some history of the city that I took from this site: http://www.mexretire.com/location/guaymas/history .

The town of Guaymas was founded in 1769 along with many mission towns in Baja California. California cities like San Diego, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco date from the same period. Guaymas, however, boasted a mission of its own in 1703, decades before it became a town. There was some fighting in Guaymas during the 19th century. First, the American Navy occupied the town, during the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.
Later, the French pirate Gaston Rousset de Bourbon briefly took over the city in 1854, adding a bit more color to this otherwise quiet part of the still young nation of Mexico. General José Maria Yáñez, for whom Guaymas’ airport is named, fought off this challenge and was later made governor of the state of Sonora.
Finally, the French occupied Guaymas during the French Intervention of the 1860s, but since then, Guaymas has ceased to be of military importance. Still used as a base by the Mexican Navy, Guaymas has grown in commercial importance. A huge shrimping and fishing industry and Guaymas’ port provide the foundation for a vibrant regional economy.
I have been lucky enough to find a few photos and hopefully will continue to find more. The differences at times are stark and not so nice to look at. For instance the old bank building has a lot of damage. I found some photos of when it was just being built and now it is sadly in need of some rejuvenation. None the less the photos are interesting, to me at least. (I have not retouched any of the photos).
Guaymas in 1861. To the left the site where the bank was constructed. The following 3 photos are taken from this site: http://www.guaymas.gob.mx/?c=168&a=1926

The bank building in the middle of century XX in Serdán and street 21.

Almost the same view today.

In spite of the abandonment and of the natural deterioration over almost 100 years, the building continues being one of most beautiful that there is in Sonora. It is a unique building that comprises of the cultural patrimony of the port of Guaymas. The lack of maintenance has caused that the facade shows serious damages and in the inner part modifications have affected the original aspect that it had. The beautiful cupola also is damaged. It is urgent to make a restoration so that it continues being a pride of the guaymenses.

The view today.

Damage is evident on the whole building, even on the cupola.

This photo and some of the others were taken with permission from this site: http://www.geocities.com/guaymas1800/index.htm . Gracias, Senor Valles.

Before the Guaymas branch was constructed, the bank occupied east building that was to a flank of the house Francisco To Aguilar, Successors, in which today corner with street 22 is the Serdán avenue.

Construction of the Iglesia de San Fernando.

La Iglesia de San Fernando today.


The plaza today.

I hope to do several other posts of this type showing the old and new photos; but there are still a few photos that I need to take.