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History
The city of Tijuana is situated in a region once inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians, a tribe of Yuman-speaking hunter-gatherers. Europeans first arrived in 1542, when the Portuguese explorer JoÃo Rodrigues Cabrilho toured the coastline of the area, which was later mapped in 1602 by Sebastian Vizcano. In 1769, Father Juan Crespo documented more detailed information about the area that would one day be called the Valley of Tijuana and Father Junapero Serra founded the first mission of Alta California in San Diego.
More settlement of the area took place near the end of the mission era when José María Echendía, governor of the Baja California and Alta California, awarded a large land grant to Santiago Arguello in 1829. This large cattle ranch, Rancho Tia Juana ("Aunt Jane Ranch"), covered 100 km².
In 1848, as a result of the Mexican-American War with the United States, Mexico lost all of Alta California. Tijuana acquired a new and distinct character and purpose on the international border. The city began to shed its cattle ranching origins and began to play in a new role, forming a socio-economic structure for the city. | |
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The year 1889 marked the beginning of the urban settlement, when descendants of Santiago Arguello and Agustin Olvera entered an agreement to begin development of the city of Tijuana. The agreement was dated July 11 of that year. Decades later, during the second Symposium of History held in 1975, this date was recognized as the date the city was founded.
Tijuana saw its future in tourism from its inception. From the end of the 19th century to the first decades of the 20th, the city attracted large numbers of Californians crossing over the border, coming to Mexico for trade and entertainment.
During the Mexican Revolution, Tijuana was also a small stage for revolutionaries loyal to Ricardo Flores Magan, who took over the city in 1911. Shortly, thereafter, federal troops arrived and routed the rebels. Being so close to the action, San Diegans could watch the battle from the safety of the international border.
In 1915, the Panama-California Exposition brought a great number of visitors to the neighboring Californian city to the north. Tijuana took the opportunity to attract these tourists to the other side of the border with Feria Tipica Mexicana. The fair included curio shops, regional foods, thermal baths, horse racing and boxing matches. With this event, the city became universally known as a tourist destination.
The 1920s changed Tijuana forever when the enactment of prohibition in the US sent droves of US nationals across the border to partake in legal drinking and gambling. Large and impressive casinos opened, like Agua Caliente in Tijuana. Caesar Cardini, commonly credited for creating Caesar Salad, ran some restaurants in the city during this period, for instance in nowadays Hotel Caesar's (also called Caesar's Palace) on the main street, now renowned Avenida Revolucion.
The international events of the following years had profound repercussions on the city. Tourism increased significantly as innumerable US Citizens came to Tijuana to enjoy the nightlife. In addition, the large number of Mexican citizens from all over the country began to relocate to Tijuana, tripling the population. Between 1940 and 1950 the city grew from 21,971 to 65,364 inhabitants. | |
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In the 1950s, when nightlife and tourism began to decline, the city started to restructure its tourist industry, by promoting a more family oriented scene. Tijuana began to develop a greater variety of attractions and activities to offer its visitors.
In 1994, PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio was assassinated in Tijuana while making an appearance in the plaza of Lomas Taurinas, a neighborhood nestled in a valley near Centro. The shooter was caught and imprisoned, but doubts remain about who the mastermind might have been.
Today, the Tijuana-San Ysidro border crossing is the most crossed international land border in the world. Although tourism constitutes a large part of this movement, Tijuana and its surrounding area has become a major player in NAFTA with new maquiladoras and industrial plants.
Origin of name
In early documents - primarily mission records (baptisms, marriages, deaths) - there are mentions of "La Tia Juana", "Tiguana", "Tiuana", "Teguana", "Tiwana", "Tijuan", "Ticuan", "Tijuana". It is believed by some that name comes from the Yuman Indian language from the aboriginal Kumeyaay (Kumiai) inhabitants. They spoke a Yuman language, in which some have claimed "Tijuana" originated from "Tiwan", meaning close to the sea. Others say this is not certain, that there is no such word in Kumayaay, and that the name cames from another location of similar appearance (and name) in the south of the peninsula, and the name was brought north by Spanish/Mexican soldiers and mule-drivers.
The proper pronunciation is "Tee-who-ana" since the Spanish "j" sounds similar to an English "h" and "u" to the English sound "oo." Nevertheless, many US tourists pronounce the name of the city Tia wanna, though it is commonly called "TJ" in California and "Tiyei" (matching the sound of the English initials "TJ") in Spanglish or "Tijuas". Mexicans typically refer to themselves as a "Tijuanense."
The people of the city themselves widely believe in yet another "foundation myth" - that in the beginning there was an old Indian woman named "tia Juana" (aunt Jane) who provided travelers with good food and place to rest. In spite of scholarly denunciation, this story continues to be very popular with the residents of the city. It has particular resonance in a town known for its touristic hospitality. | | | |
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