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Olanchito

Coordinates: 15°29′N 86°35′W / 15.483°N 86.583°W / 15.483; -86.583
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Olanchito
Municipality
Olanchito is located in Honduras
Olanchito
Olanchito
Location in Honduras
Coordinates: 15°29′N 86°35′W / 15.483°N 86.583°W / 15.483; -86.583
CountryHonduras
DepartmentYoro
Government
 • TypeDemocratic Municipality
 • MayorJosé Tomás Ponce Posas (Libre)[1]
Area
 • Municipality
2,019 km2 (780 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 projection)[2]
 • Municipality
118,395
 • Density59/km2 (150/sq mi)
 • Urban
67,680
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central America)
ClimateAw

Olanchito is a town with a population of 45,270, as of 2020,[3] and a municipality in the department of Yoro, Honduras. The municipality was founded in 1530 and comprises 70 villages, over 300 hamlets, and has around 100,000 inhabitants.[4] It is located 107 miles (172 km) northeast of Tegucigalpa, the country's capital. Olanchito is in the Central Time Zone, with a UTC offset of -6 hours. The city is the birthplace of many figures of Honduran literature, such as Ramón Amaya Amador. Amador's manuscripts, collection of books, writing table, and ashes are located in Olanchito.[5] Known locally as the Civic City, Olanchito's main industry is agriculture.

History

The conquest of Honduras began with the arrival of several expeditions sent by Hernán Cortés to extend the domain of Spain in Central America. In 1525, he seized the town of Trujillo, which would become an important Atlantic port and the first capital of Honduras. Truxillo served as an outpost for the colonisation of the hostile territory of Olancho Valley. Hernando de Saavedra, Governor of Honduras, had a dispute with his counterpart in Nicaragua, Pedro Arias Dávila, over the rich gold deposits and rivers of Olancho. After several battles between rival groups of Spanish for control of the area, the town of San Jorge de Olancho was established. But because of the mistreatment of the natives of Olancho, they unexpectedly rebelled and attacked. In this rebellion, Captain Juan de Grijalva, one of the conquerors of the Aztec empire, was killed. The survivors were scattered, some to the town of Border of Caceres,[clarification needed] in 1526, and others to the Valley of Aguan.

With the death of Diego de Salcedo, Governor of Honduras in 1530, the province was in chaos. But the important issue of extending the settlement and continuing the conquest of people who were not yet subjugated continued. Accounts differ as to who founded the settlement that became Olanchito and are somewhat confusing. According to the statistical yearbook of Antonio Vallejo, the town was founded by Captain Diego de Alvarado in 1530, with the name of San Jorge de Olancho.[6] The Guatemalan historian José Mata Gavidia explains: "With these and other graces came to Guatemala D. Pedro de Alvarado, for the year April 30. bringing people of Mexico, and some that found here in Nicaragua, Diego de Alvarado sent brother Jorge to found the city, called Olanchito, in the province of Honduras."[7]

The town of San Jorge de Olanchito was founded in 1530, located on the right bank of the Aguán river. Its first inhabitants were the few survivors of San Jorge de Olancho and others sent by Pedro de Alvarado, becoming a stage on El Camino Real, which led from Truxillo to Olancho. Ten years later (1540) Governor Francisco de Montejo, was ordered to continue the colonisation of Olancho and sent his officer Alonzo Caceres, who established a settlement with the same last name: San Jorge de Olancho (Viejo). Years later Alonso de Reinoso founded the village of Nuevo Salamanca, which was rapidly depopulated due to continuing native attacks. Olancho was flourishing as a mining town, producing huge amounts of gold and silver that were shipped from the ports of Truxillo and Puerto Caballos.

San Jorge de Olancho later became known as El Boqueron, and in 1611 was completely destroyed. Historians attribute its destruction to a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake, and some legends to divine causes, akin to the Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah. The survivors of this catastrophe migrated in several directions as their ancestors had done a century earlier. Some founded the city of Juticalpa and others headed to San Jorge de Olanchito and Truxillo.

Over the years, some people moved to the left bank of the Aguán river, and on the route leading to the native village of Agalteca [sv], established a place they called San Jorge de Olancho (Nuevo). With the move of all town residents to the new settlement, it took as its name San Jorge de Olanchito, and the old site became known as the old city or San Juan El Sevillano.

The exact date the present city of Olanchito was founded is unknown may have been between 1613 and 1620. The settlers colonised the upper valley, and on the road leading to Yoro, sites were established: Santa Barbara in 1657, by Captain Pedro de Aliendo, and Subiñas and Santa Cruz in 1682, by Don José de la Cruz.[8]

A report presented by engineer Luis Diez Navarro [es] (1742–1745), to the King of Spain, said that: "The capital is that city of Comayagua, and has four cities named Gracias a Dios, that is the West, San Pedro Sula at northeast, San Jorge Olanchito at Levante [east] ... Forward the Partido of San Jorge Olanchito is Sonaguera, and the Port of Truxillo twenty leagues distant"[9]

In another document concerning the invasion of the English, it is written that "In 1747, the British themselves with Miskito natives came to Sonaguera village, where they committed great crimes and would have done more damage but for the energetic attitude of Governor Tablada. So says the latter, and adds that those foreigners who spared no means to intimidate Olanchito and Olancho El Viejo."[10]

In 1797, there was still a war between Spain and England: "In part this Captaincy General directed by the Lord Mayor Governor of the Province of Comayagua, Ramon Anguiano, from Olanchito early this month have reported the following: On April 26, before five in the afternoon, the British placed, two warships and a brigantine at Truxillo Port given these and other provisions they went to the place known as La Ofrecedora, which contributed effectively to the back the Governor Intendant, as expressed through a cordon of Olanchito troops who had settled in around Sonaguera."[11]

In the late eighteenth century, due to this situation, the archive and the treasury of Real Hacienda de Truxillo were moved to the town of Olanchito.

Demographics

At the time of the 2013 Honduras census, Olanchito municipality had a population of 104,609. Of these, 93.81% were Mestizo, 3.26% White, 2.29% Indigenous (1.56% Tolupan), 0.60% Black or Afro-Honduran and 0.04% others.[12]

Economic development

Today the city of Olanchito is the most important city in the department of Yoro thanks to its growing achievements in education, industry, livestock, and agriculture. The economic development of the city was influenced by the presence of the Standard Fruit Company, an American company that settled in the Aguan Valley in 1899. The Standard Fruit Company played a significant role in the government of Honduras and in local development issues.[who?] Its practices are now Global G.A.P certified.[13]

Sports

The local football club, Social Sol, play in the Honduran second division. They play their home games at the Estadio San Jorge.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ AMHON: Asociación de Municipios de Honduras. "Alcaldes y Alcaldesas" [Mayors and Municipalities] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  2. ^ Citypopulation.de Population of departments and municipalities in Honduras
  3. ^ Citypopulation.de Population of cities in Honduras
  4. ^ "Olanchito Destination Guide". Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Olanchito-la-bella-ciudad-civica de Honduras". Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  6. ^ José Milla and Vidaurre. History of Central America continued by Gomez Carrillo, Chapter XI, p, 228, Vol I, 1879–1905 Guatemala
  7. ^ Jose Mata Gavidia (1969) p, 136. Guatemala No. 189 C: A:
  8. ^ "New Lands File Index" National Printing 2nd edition 1901. Tegucigalpa. p. 182 to 218
  9. ^ Manuel Sanchez Rubio. History of the Port of Truxillo Vol II p. 251 (1975) B: C: H: Printing shops Lopez y Cia
  10. ^ University Magazine No 1, p. 55, Volume VII Tegucigalpa 15 January 1915
  11. ^ Guatemala Gazette, Wednesday 17 May 1797, Folio 113
  12. ^ Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), bases de datos en línea
  13. ^ "Standard Fruit de Honduras". Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  • Historical data on the origin of the city of Olanchito by Eric E. Steiner published in the Journal-COSECIO Olanchito (1986)

15°29′N 86°35′W / 15.483°N 86.583°W / 15.483; -86.583

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