Salvador González Moreno
The book, Pioneer of the Santo Domingo Valley: Salvador González Moreno, was inspired by a chance encounter and a living memory. In his prologue, Leonardo Reyes Silva, a teacher and chronicler of the peninsula, recounts how, during an after-dinner conversation, Rubén González González asked him if he would be willing to write a profile of his father. That simple question sparked the creation of a work dedicated to preserving the history of a key figure in the colonization of the Santo Domingo Valley.
Reyes Silva accepted the opportunity without hesitation. His experience as a teacher allowed him to witness firsthand the early years of the Jalisco colony, which was established by Salvador González Moreno and families who arrived from Jalisco in the mid-20th century. In those rugged lands, González Moreno not only promoted the establishment of new communities but also facilitated the creation of a population center, which included a school for children from nearby ranches. This initiative eventually led to the formation of the current town of Ignacio Zaragoza.
The prologue reminds us that there is still much to be said about this audacious pioneer who dared to face the desert of Baja California Sur and pave the way for future generations. Beyond the historical facts, the work seeks to preserve and perpetuate the memory of a man whose vision and effort transformed a region.
About the Author:
Leonardo Reyes Silva, the author of seminal works such as “Historia del Estado de Baja California Sur” (History of the State of Baja California Sur), “El Molino de Viento” (The Windmill), “Mitos y Leyendas Sudcalifornianas” (Myths and Legends of Baja California Sur), and “Mis recuerdos del Valle de Santo Domingo” (My Memories of the Valley of Santo Domingo), became a key figure for those seeking to understand the identity of the Baja California Peninsula.
He was born in Santa Rosalía, in the Municipality of Mulegé, in 1930, in a modest home near the bustling El Boleo smelter, where the sounds of miners echoed around him. He spent his early years among the port’s laborers before moving to Sinaloa and La Paz, where he began to develop his vocation.
In 1950, he qualified as a primary school teacher. At the young age of 20, he began teaching in the Santo Domingo Valley. There, he gained firsthand experience of the challenges faced by local farmers while educating generations of children in rural communities such as San Salvador and Santo Domingo.
In 1999, he received the ‘Forjador de Generaciones’ (Shaper of Generations) award from the Escuela Normal Superior de Baja California Sur. Additionally, from 1992 to 1997, he directed the ‘Pablo L. Martínez’ Historical Archive, contributing significantly to the preservation of the region’s history. He also regularly collaborated with newspapers and magazines in La Paz.
