Mapping Change

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Above: An 1847 lithogroph by Daniel P. Whiting made during the U.S. ociupolron look, from the Cetio del Obispado toward the tenter
cl Monterrey. The Ccrra de la Silla ("Saddle Mountain"! I) in the badiground. left: A detail ol la Rtinero, an early department itore
(1901, Alfred Gilet).
M a p p i n g Change
Monterrey in Three Acts
and crafts, as well as new churches
to the north and the west to take advan-
and chapels.
tage of the area's higher, breezier, and
Bishop de Llanos y Valdes recruited
nunc healthful altitudes. And certainly,
architect Juan Crouset from the A c i -
the city was growing. The Census of
demia San I arliis m Mexico City, and
1X02, carried out by (iovernor Uerrera y
afterward, Crousel worked for the colo-
Leyva, found a population of 7,000.
nial governor, don Simon Uerrera y
BY
ARMANDO
V.
FLORES
SALAZAR
Leyva. In 1798, Crouset prepared for the
Act II: Military Headquarters
governor the Mtif> Shewing the Location
In the I 8 IDs, Joaquin de Arredondo, the
<>l Improved and Unimproved
Building
Sites in the City of Monterrey of the New
kingdom of
Icon.
last colonial governor, made Monterrej
the general military headquarters of the
I astern Interna! Provinces. Effectively,
Monterrey had become the capital of the
lint even Spanish culture showed a
The map, scaled in Castilian varas,
a northern outpost ot IMucva Kspana, but
mixture of influences: Iberian, Sephardic,
shows the town bounded by the Rfo Santa
future states of Nucvo Leon, Coahuila,
the 19th century changed everything about
Moorish, and Greco-Roman-Christian
Catarina on the south and the irrigation
Texas, and Tamaulipas.
the place. Monterrey grew from a colonial
(especially I ranciscan). And by the time
ditches and reservoirs ol the Springs of
iown to a city of national consequence;
of Mexico's independence, Monterre>
Santa I uci.i on ihe in nth.' I he town plan
endured many bouts of military hostility:
from ,1 population of 7,000 to I popula-
had begun to interact with still other
consisted of six east-west streets and I I
the struggle lor independence (IS 10-
tion ni "il,(IMi); from a closed econotrt) to
cultures: Anglo-American, French,
ninth south streets, within which (. rouset
1821), the U.S. invasion (I 846-1848}, the
an open one; from an agricultural base to
Austrian, Italian, and German, among
noted the principal public squares, the
civil war over enactment of the Reform
an industrial one: and from provincial
others. As Monterrey grew, it would
Plazas de Armas and Cotnercio, and out-
I aws (1858-1861), the 1'rench interven-
somnolence to cosmopolitan dynamism.
reflect all of those cultural influences.
FOR ITS FIRST 200 YEARS, Monterrey existed .is
\r< hitectiir.il rt adings ol three maps from
But for 200 years, the settlement
Lor the next 50 years, the city
standing buildings (the pro-cathedral, a
tion (186.5-1867), and other, localized
church built to serve until the proper
episodes o f civil disorder. Bur Monterrey
did not cease to build. In 1816. Juan
the period show how those changes literal
developed slowly. In 1775, (iovernor
cathedral was finished; the I ranciscan
ly shaped the city.
Melchor Vidal de l.orca reported that
monastery of San Andres; the chapels of
Crouset and the builder Carmen Meza
Monterrey's entire population — includ-
San lavier. Santa Kita. and La I'urisima;
completed the baldachin of the cathedral,
government officials created the Cit) ol
ing both the " c i t y " and its neighboring
the bishop's and the governor's houses; a
which was dedicated in 1833. The
Our Lady of Monterrey, which they desig-
haciendas, and both f-'uropeans and non-
temporary hospital; and the seminary). He
Palacio del Ayuntamietuo (the City 1 tail,
nated the capital of the New Kingdom of
Europeans — totaled only 238 people.
also showed the streets, dams, and build
now the Museo del Lstado de Nucvo
Leon. (To this day, Monterrey remains the
Without a central industry, Monterrey
nigs being constructed under his direction:
Leon) was rebuilt by the Creek immi-
was little more than a cluster of farms
a northward extension of the town plan,
grant architect Papias Anguiano in 185.1,
and ranches.
the I lospital of Nuestra Senora del
and the Plaza /.aragoza, the old Plaza de
Rosario, the Capuchin Convent, mrl the
Armas, was outfitted with stone sidewalks and lanterns. The Teatro del
On September 20, 1597, New Spain
capital of the Mexican state Nucvo Leon.)
A broad range of cultures shaped
Monterrey. In the 16th century, when
Spaniards arrived in the region, they dis-
Act I: Religious City
present Metropolitan Cathedral ot
placed the (Jiichiinccas, indigenous
In the late 1 Nth century, Monterrey
Nuestra Senora de Monterrey. The only
Progreso was dedicated in 1857, In IKM>
nomadic ,\\\i\ semi-nomadic people. The
developed a religious economic base. In
major new building not shown on the
the Hospital Civil opened, and in 1861
Spaniards brought with them their allies,
1777, the Catholic Church created the
map was the Obispado, the Palace of
the city government opened the Alameda
the Ttaxcaltecans, an urban people from
new diocese of Linares, and in 1792,
Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, which was
Nueva, a landscaped pleasure garden.'
Central Mexico, and African B.iittus, who
the Church moved the diocese's see city
the bishop's summer house. It had been
had been imported to the New World as
trotii nearby Linares to Monterrey. '1 wo
completed ten years earlier to the west of
observed in 1856 that Monterrey had "its
slaves. The dominant Spanish and
early bishops, I ray Rafael Jose Verger
Monterrey. The civil and religious build-
long, wide streets, even it noi completely
Tlaxcaltccan cultures had independently
(178 I -1 790) and Andres Ambrosio de
ings erected by the bishops and academi-
straight, paved, and provided with com-
developed similar urban styles. Iluth tin-
Llanos y Valdes (1792-1799), equipped
cally trained architects, such as Crouset,
fortable footpaths on either side; its houses
Spaniards and the I'laxealtccans lavored
Monterrey with a cathedral, a house
marked the region's first appearance ol
of solid construction, almost all ol stone,
plazas surrounded by gridded streets,
and summer house for the bishop, a
high-style architecture.
generally one story high: well painted and
and they expected their new city to follow
seminary, an indigents' hospital, the
that pattern.
Capuchin l onvent, and a school of arts
Bishop Verger and his successors
sought to expand Monterrey's town plan
The physician Juan Sotero Noriega
adorned they give the city the delightful
aspect of AW entirely new settlement."
S
C i t e
cathedral), waterways, mountains, and
highways to outlying towns.
The Epstein map reflects the transfor-
Joan Gotiset'j 1798 mop ol Monterrey.
Reputtilt Del Nmir
2
(I
(I
l
f i l l
19
Alameda Nueva, renamed for I'orfirio
Diaz, had been halved in order to construct the State Penitentiary on what had
mations the l l ' t h century wrought on
been its north half. The growth of the
Monterrey. The separation ol powers
city and its socioeconomic activities were
enshrined in the new Mexican Constitu-
reflected in new institutions of higher
tion is visible in the two government
education. In addition to the Colegio
palaces, one belonging to the city, the
Civil and the seminary, these included
other to the state. The I lospital C ivil and
new professional schools of law, medi-
the Colegio Civil are secular replacements
cine, pharmacy, and education. Mann
lor Catholic institutions. I he cemetery,
facturing and commercial activity were
the ( ainpo Santo, was a public site
supported by the Banco National, the
detached from churchyard burial
Banco de Nuevo I.con, and the private
grounds, as called lor in the Reform
hanking house of the Irish immigrant and
I .ivvs nl IS>7, which sought to secularize
financier Patricio Milmo. The map also
Mexican public life. The Cittdadela,
identifies live hotels, lour streetcar com-
the fort defending the city, and the
panies, two railroad stations, a theater,
\l.iestran/.a, a foundry for the manufac-
and an elite social club, the Casino
ture of artillery, were built in answer in
Monterrey. There were corresponding
the military invasions Monterrey had
increases in the number and degree ol
endured. The extension of roads connect-
specialization of institutions of govern
ing Monterrey to other settlements
mem, the military, and health care. An
reflected the movement of people and
electric light company and a telegraph
merchandise, just as the proposals tor
and telephone company operated in
expanding the street network reflected
Monterrey. I luge buildings housed indus-
Monterrey's increasing population.
tries such as the Cerveccria Cuauhtemoc
and the Grand National Mexican
HfliMi'hlt iJolSui
Itidoro Epilein'i 1861 map.
Act III: City of Business
Foundry. The consulates of the United
At the end of the I 9th century,
States, Cermany, Spam, and Italy
Montcrrcv developed as a commercial
reflected the city's international ties.
and industrial powerhouse. Many factors
In September 1896, in one of the
contributed to the city's economic
ceremonies celebrating the Tercentennial
strength: proximity to the new interna-
ot Monterrey's founding, the orator
tional border to the north; the U.S. Civil
Knrique Corostieta said that the city " i n
War, which enormously stimulated trade
a century has increased its population
throughout northeastern Mexico; the
100 times anil its resources a thousand
construction of railroads that linked
times."'' The three maps discussed here
Monterrey to Mexico City and the Gulf
show that Ins dramatic statement was
Coast port city ol Timpico, as well as to
more than hyperbole. •
I aredo and San Antonio in Texas; the
"Union and Progress" policies of
Mexican president Porfirio Diaz's 35-year
administration; financial incentives lor
Armando V. iltirt-s Salazar is ait architect
and professor <>f architecture at the
Unwersidad Autdnoma de Nuevo Ledn,
where be directed the architectural
reset trch < iepartmen t.
new construction: investment capital; and
the entrepreneurial spirit of the
Monterrey elite.
Two Monterrey residents, Horentino
Arroyo and Ramon Diaz, published the
Map of the ' 'Sty <>/' Monterrey, Nuevo
1 riii: in 1894. It followed the cartographic conventions of Tipstcin's map with us
marginal technical data, a box identifying
notable buildings, and images ol some
ol these.'
The map, also scaled in meters, presents a street network that hail been
Florentine Arroyo ond Romon Dior's 1894 mop.
expanded in the four cardinal directions.
To the north, the map shows the first
tsidoro Epstein, who was horn in
Lucia, as well as to the south of the Rio
industrial installations, two railroad sta
Germany, arrived in Monterrey in 1864
Santa Catarina) were indicated as
lions, and a workers' residential district
to serve as both professor of mathematics
repueblcs. The Repuehles del Norte encom-
whose street layoul was determined by
at the Colegio Civil and as Mniiicip.il
passed the 40 ,iere Alameda Ntieva.
highways and by railroad and streetcar
1 "niiineer, an office he held until 1868. In
On the map, a h o \ of text identifies
July 1865, he published the Map of the
by number 1 fS notable buildings,
City <>l Monterrey ami Its ('.uninious.
included the cathedral, parish churches,
The map, scaled in meters, presents the
These
tracks rather than an extension of the
repueble grid.
In contrast to the 1865 map, with its
chapels, the state and municipal govern-
16 notable buildings, the 1894 map iden-
existing street network, which in the nearl)
ment buildings, military installations,
tifies 68. the number of churches had
increased from 5 to 14; among them a
"0 years since I ninset's map had only
schools, and hospitals. The map also
grown three streets tn the north " I the
named public plazas, the Alameda and
baptist church. In 1891, the diocese of
Arroyo Santa l.ucia. The future expansion
the nearby Ciudadcla (the citadel, based
Monterrey had been elevated to an arch-
ut the utv [additions to the north of Santa
mi the foundations <>l .1 never completed
diocese. There were ten new plazas. The
Translated from Spanish hy
Claudia Kulker.
Notes:
1. Armando V. Flora Salazar. < aliaato: Movcoi
OtltUTiles *'ii laarqiiiU'itiirii rrwiwNiijfjirj. Status XV
a XX. Mnnierrcy: 1 diri»n.il Ilnivers.id.id Aniiimim.i
de Nuevo I con. I V9X, p. " ! .
2. J<iw lli-im-nn (iin,/..ik>z. < oleccidn •!•• noticiai y
doeumentos ft.irj 1,1 bisioria del tuado it Nuevo
Le6n. Monterrcyi Editorial Univcrtidad Autdnoma de
Nueva I eon, I97S, p. 97.
t.1 rousera map is deposited in the Archivo
General de l-i Naci6n IProvindas Internal, volume
IVhl. tin- facsimile cop) belonging m the Inttituro
N.ienm.il de Hatadfstica, Geografia c InfornuUica
i l \ l i>1i is deposiiL'd 111 [In- O p i l h Allonsina <>l ihiUnivLTMd.id Autonoma de Nuevo Leon.
4 .The three ni.ips presented lure .ire reproduction!
reformatted to the tame icale to facilitate ,1 comparative analysis ol rlie urovvih .ind expansion of
Monterrey. The map) were digitized h> K.
i iii.iirulu.lv. |. i osas, |, An/pi. and <.. ( ones.
I. Kulro Vizcaya t analea. Monterrey MS2; trdniea
Jr I#FJ tiiui memorable* Mexico! 1991.
<v Alioiiso R.inml (.inrra, editor. Una ciudadpara
neir; VarMteroma tobre mi misnto tenta* Monterrey;
Hondo editorial Nuevo I eon, 1991, p, 65,
7, I he Epatcin m.ip in facsimile from INKGI; original depotited in the Archivi tnint.il del Tsi.idn de
Nlit'vu I eiitl.
K. I he Arroyo and Dfaz map in facsimile from
INKGI; original depoaitEd in rhe Archivo General *lel
I stada de Nuevo I eon,
9, Alfonso Range! Guerra, editor. I na ciadadpara
I'll'lr, p. 9 I