San José de los Reynoso

San José De Los Reynoso is a small town located in the northeast region of Los Altos, Jalisco , Mexico.

History

The town was founded in 1783 by Spanish settlers from Spain. Before the arrival of the conquistadores, a tribe named the tecuexes lived in that area. The [tecuexes] were defeated by the Spanish and then the first Spanish families started to move in the area. The first three families to settle in San Jose were the Reynoso Family, the Lozas and the Munoz. The name San Jose was chosen as an honor to Saint Joseph, since this was a Spanish occupied area , in which they were very devoted Catholics. The second part of the name "Reynoso" was added because the very first to arrive and the founders were the Reynoso family. The very first couple married in 1783. The first church began to be constructed in 1837 and was completed in 1887.

San Jose de los Reynoso is a delegation of the San Miguel el Alto county; which is located in the region Altos South, in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. This little town is approximately 1800mts (slightly over a mile) above sea level, and enjoys a semi-dry weather. Located near the heart of the Altos region, San Jose is in close distance from the tequila region of los Altos; of which the county of Arandas is the most important. Moreover, the town is merely a 20 minutes drive from San Juan de los Lagos; a city not only famous for his venerated Virgin of San Juan, but also for its delicious tortas. Another place close to San Jose and of great importance is the town of Santa Anna; home of Saint Toribio Romo, canonized by the Pope John Paul the II, years before his death.

San Jose de los Reynoso was at the center of the Cristero War of the 1920s between the Church and the Federal Government.

During the late 20th century, many of the town's inhabitants emigrated to other cities in Mexico and various regions of the United States, due mainly to economic hardships. This diaspora is concentrated in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as well as the state of California, and the cities of Chicago and Dallas in the United States.

It is estimated that currently over half the population live outside of San José, with the largest concentration in the U.S. city of Chicago and its metropolitan area.

Population

The current population of the town just over 1,200. The population would easily have grown to be more than 10,000 but migration out of the town has kept it small.

External links

* [http://www.sanjosedelosreynoso.net San José De Los Reynoso Website]