Arizpe

Arizpe (or Arispe) is a small town in Arizpe Municipality in the north of the Mexican state of Sonora. It is located at 30°20'"N 110°09'"W. The area of the municipality is 2,806.78 sq.km. The population in 2005 was 2,959 of which 1,743 lived in the municipal seat as of the 2000 census. The region of Arizpe was occupied by the Opata people. The name, Arizpe, is a combination of two Opata words (Arit meaning fire ant and Pa meaning place) and translates to "the land of the fire ants". Arizpe was founded in 1646 by the Jesuit missionary Jerónimo de la Canal as a mission. In 1776 Arizpe was made the capital of the Commandancy General of the Provincias Internas, with jurisdiction over Nueva Vizcaya (today Durango and Chihuahua), Arizona, Las...