Located in the Sierra Madre foothills of Southern Sonora, the colonial city of Alamos, in northern Mexico, has arrived on the tourism scene. Originally among Mexico's richest silver cities, Alamos became a ghost town after mine depletion, droughts, Indian uprisings and the 1910 Revolution. Since World War II, Alamos has slowly gained popularity with tourists as American artists and retirees began settling there.
Today, Alamos is composed largely of expatriates, with a total population of around 13,000 people. New mines have opened, and the 17th-century jail has been refurbished as a cultural center. Highways are being improved, and several franchise businesses have moved to Alamos. There are 188 colonial structures bearing National Historic Monument designation peppering the desert town, and Alamos hopes to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a thriving artisan community specializing in ceramics, masonry, tile and ironwork, and bird-watching is attracting more visitors.
Alamos can be reached by a 12-hour bus trip from Tucson or Phoenix, and the Ciudad Obregon airport is a 90-minute cab ride away.
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