Land Financing
San Carlos - Guaymas History
A Historical Overview of San Carlos Bay Mexico
Guaymas was named for a now extinct tribe of Indians known as the Guaymenas. The tribe's recorded history dates back to 1680, when it was first mentioned by Father Kino, the Jesuit mission builder of the State of Sonora. This was a century before the permanent pueblo, Villa de San Fernando de Guaymas, was established. Some of the finest of ancient stone implements, fashioned by the Guaymenas, are occasionally still found in this region.
The history of Guaymas - San Carlos could provide plots for a dozen comic operas, in which heroes and villains would alternate rapidly. Every time a stash of gold and silver from the nearby mines was brought to town and a ship pulled in for it, pirates would show up, capture the ore, scuttle the ship, and then sack the town.
In the plaza near the church stands a statue of one of the bravest of the Guaymas heroes, General Jose Maria Yanez. The outstanding deed of valor attributed to this "Defender of Guaymas" was his feat of outsmarting the pirate, Count Rousset de Bourbon, who, with 400 other cutthroats, descended on the town in 1854. The battle was a stand-off until the pirates saw a large company of cavalry charging down a distant hill, threatening to cut them off from their shore boats. The freebooters surrendered and, according to legend, the leaders, including de Bourbon, were hung without learning that the cavalry was in reality unarmed women dressed as men.
It was the custom in those days for pirates to bury their treasure, usually in sturdy chests. Count de Bourbon was different in that he always used barrels or casks, which could be easily rolled by a couple of men. This trademark is an indication that the Count was a success at his chosen trade, at least up until he had his neck stretched at Guaymas. His treasure barrels have been found in several places around the Sea of Cortez, and some are thought to be still hidden at Pichilinque near La Paz, and at Bahia Agua Verde.
San Carlos History Fact Sheet