San Miguel: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Like the vast majority of El Salvador, San Miguel was once inhabited by Paleo-Indian peoples as far back as 10,000 years ago. Their fascinating cave paintings can still be seen in towns to the north of the city, including Corinto and Cacaopera.

When the Spanish arrived in El Salvador, the region was inhabited by the Lenca peoples. Ruínas de Quelepa, located 8km (5mi) north of San Miguel, is a ceremonial center they inhabited between the 2nd and 7th centuries.

On 8 May, 1530 San Miguel was founded by Luis de Moscoso where present-day Santa Elena is located.

The larger San Miguel Department was first known as 'San Miguel of the Border'. On July 11, 1812 it was given the title 'Noble y Leal Ciudad' (noble and loyal city). It wasn't until June 12, 1824 that it officially became a department.

Once El Salvador was officially overrun by Spaniards, agriculture boomed. San Miguel developed into a vital economic and agricultural zone with the production of cotton, sugarcane, cattle and, or course, coffee.

Modern History

Many of San Miguel's stunning buildings were built around the turn of the century. The Gothic-style Capilla Medalla Milagrosa took center stage on the architecture front in 1904, closely followed by the neoclassical Antiguo Teatro Nacional which opened in 1909.

Two festivals have captured the city in modern times. The Fiesta Patronal (patron saint festival) is held every November in honor of the Virgin de la Paz and is an occasion for religious processions, as well as the creation of enormous and colorful sawdust carpets. Carnaval is typically held on the last Saturday of November. It starts at sun down and continues until sun up - parades wind their way through the streets and more than three dozen bands play every type of Latin music.

In September 1989, Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) personnel attacked the home of the commander of the Third Infantry Brigade in the San Miguel Department. By October, further acts of political violence were contributing to a particularly tense atmosphere throughout El Salvador.

On November 11, 1989 the FMLN launched a major military offensive following their decision to suspend negotiations with the Cristiani administration. While it focused on San Salvador, rebels also attacked other communities including those in the San Miguel Department. For more than a week, guerrillas held their positions - some civilians helped to build fortifications while others joined in the fighting.

Recent History

Since the 1992 Peace Accords, gangs have been a plague in San Miguel and vigilante groups frequently take the law into their own hands. While the government is strongarmed by Super Mano Dura, a tough policy which aims to crack down on youth gangs, the situation isn't quickly improving.

José Wilfredo Salgado, the current mayor of San Miguel, fought as a government officer during the war. A recent Washington Post article reported that he collected the skulls of children massacred at El Mozote as souvenirs. Salgado has denied the claims.

Current sky-high unemployment in San Miguel makes cleaning up the city a true challenge - pollution and trash is a continual problem.

Chaparrastique, aka Volcán de San Miguel, is one of the most active in the country. Since the 16th century, eruptions have modified the crater complex somewhat. Recently, however, there have been only minor ash eruptions, the last being in 2002.

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