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History The Spanish sailed the West Coast of Mexico in the 16th Century and passed this part of Jalisco on their way to Baja California, which they called the "Island of Pearls".
They are many stories about these early days and little is really known. Some say that two boats used in the voyages above where built close to Mismaloya, where timber and protection from the weather were available.
What is known is that Spanish explorers traveling over land from the south encountered a large band of 'Indians' in the wide and fertile valley of the Rio Ameca. The 'Indians' carried poles with feathers tied to the end and the Spanish mistook these as flags and named the place Valle de Banderas (Valley of Flags), Later the adjacent bay took on the name.
During the 18th Century it was referred to by whalers as 'Bahia de Los Jorobados' - Bay of the Humpback Whale.
In the early part of the 19th Century, one Don Guadalupe Sanchez Torres, a trader, started to bring in salt by sea from the area around San Blas, to supply the gold and silver mining towns in the mountains behind the bay, which used it in the refining process. These towns, such as Cuale and San Sebastian sent their precious bullion by land to the East Coast for shipping to Spain.
In 1851 Don Guadalupe established a settlement, at the mouth of the Rio Cuale, with his extended family and named it Las Peņas de Santa Maria de Guadalupe. The small settlement expanded with workers from the mining towns, when production slowed at the mines, who turned their hand to agriculture, cattle and fishing.
In 1918 the town became a Municipality and the name was changed to Puerto Vallarta in memory of a former Governor of Jalisco and well know lawyer, Don Ignacio L. Vallarta.
After the World War II, several GIs moved down to Puerto Vallarta, perhaps to recover from the affects of that engagement. Some sent up businesses and some just retired, many to the north bank of the Rio Cuale, which came to be known as 'Gringo Gulch'.
But the event that turned the world attention on Puerto Vallarta was when John Huston decided to film Tennessee Williams's "Night of the Iguana" at a small beach (Mismaloya) near town. Among the cast were Ava Gardner, Debra Kerr and Richard Burton. Also in town was Elizabeth Taylor who was having a rather public affair with Richard Burton, while still married to Eddie Fisher. The newspapers lapped it up and descended on the town and pictures of Puerto Vallarta appeared all over the world.
You can stay at the former home of Burton and Taylor which is now a Bed & Breakfast.
NOTICE: Puerto Vallarta is desperately in need of blood, our Blood Bank is extremely low.
If you would consider leaving something here in Vallarta for the needy, please consider donating your blood. Hospital San Javier, Marina, 2nd floor Blood Bank.
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