Ciudad Acuña
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ciudad Acuña, also known simply as Acuña, (originally Garza Galán, later Villa Acuña) is a city located in the Mexican state of Coahuila, at and a mean height above sea level of 280 metres. It stands on the Rio Grande (locally known as the Río Bravo), which at this point marks the U.S.-Mexico border, and offers a border crossing with the neighbouring city of Del Rio in the U.S. state of Texas. It serves as the municipal seat of the surrounding Acuña municipality.
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[edit] Brief history
The first recorded settlement of Acuña took place on December 27, 1877. In 1880 the community received Villa status under its first name of Garza Galán. In 1884 the locality was renamed Congregación las Vacas.
[edit] Renamed Acuña
In 1912 Congregación las Vacas was renamed Acuña, in honour of Manuel Acuña. On September 16, 1951, Villa Acuña became Ciudad Acuña.
[edit] Radio
Ciudad Acuña first gained fame under the name of Villa Acuña in the 1930s when it became the home of XERA. This radio station was known as a "border-blaster" because it broadcast with power far in excess of most stations licensed in the USA. It was managed by John R. Brinkley, a medical doctor from Kansas who became famous for his male sexual enhancement operations and treatments which he advertised by radio. XERA was closed by the government of Mexico in 1939 upon pressure from the United States.
When Villa Acuña became Ciudad Acuña it became famous once more as the location of an international broadcasting station. In 1947 the government of Mexico licensed XERF-AM, the super-power border-blaster which created fame for disc jockey Wolfman Jack between 1962 and 1964.
[edit] Music
Acuña is referenced in a song called "Mexican Blackbird" on the ZZ Top album Fandango. The song tells the story of a few man from Texas crossing the border to visit a mulatto prostitute in Acuña.
[edit] Cinema
Outdoor scenes for the 1992 cult motion picture El Mariachi were shot here, as well as the bar scenes & street confrontation from the sequel, Desperado. ċ
[edit] External links
- Ciudad Acuña municipal website (in Spanish)
