Ojuela

Ojuela was originated by the discovering of a very rich gold and silver mine. this mine produced a lot of tons of mineral ore and all this ores were processed in the nearby location of Mapimi, Durango.

The origins of the mine can be traced until 1598 when it was discovered by a group of spanish prospectors, after the mineral potential was confirmed and the production was started, later came the foundation of the human settlement, that was located at the top of a mountain very close to the mine main access, this was done, in order to have the workers and other mining staff closest as possible to the operation. The town developed rapidly from a small settlement to a village with all the urban services like post office, catholic church, several warehouses, general stores, saloons, Etc.

At the end of the XIXth century the property was adquired by the Peñoles Mining Company, this was one of the first mining operations of this company. At the begining of the XXth century there was problems with the mining production due to the conflicts and struggles originated by the Mexican Revolution and with the additional problem of the water existance inside the mine. At the end of the revolution the operation continued but later the mineral reserves were exhausted and the company decided to lease it to a local miners cooperative, therefore the town was gradually abandoned. Now there are no mining operation anymore, only few fossil, rock and stones sellers and some tour guides.

At the current moment the main buildings and other human created structures are in ruins. It is possible to visit this location and recognize the old church, the foundations of the miners houses, the warehouses, other mining facilities and to have a guided tour down the access of the former mine.
The only surviving and functional structure is a suspension bridge. The bridge is knew by the locals as "Puente de Ojuela" (Ojuela´s Bridge), this bridge was rebuilt recently by the Peñoles Company, the original was scrapped and only the main archs are now displayed at the Torreon Exposition Center.

The driving directions to visit La Ojuela are the following:
From Torreón City take the federal highway to Ciudad Juárez, Chih. - El Paso, Tx; then 30 miles from Torreón take the deviation to Bermejillo, Durango, you must cross over this town and find the road to Mapimi. Once in the Mapimi road, 10 miles ahead you will find a Rocks, Minerals and Stones Shop at the left side of the road and there you will find a barrier, wait to the guard in order to pay a small fee (20-30 pesos) and to access the road. From the barrier to the parking lot you need almost 15-20 minutes.