Parque Tlacoquemécatl

The Parque Tlacoquemécatl is more popularly known as Parque Tlaco, for obvious reasons. In the very northeast of the neighborhood of the same name, it borders the more user-friendly-named neighborhoods of Del Valle IV (north) and V (east). The park is also known as the Jardín del Arte Tlacoquemécatl. This name is for the weekend art exhibitions held within the park. Less frequently, it’s named for the Señor del Buen Despacho Church, too.

• The Nahuatl name “Tlacoquemécatl” means “place abundant in tlacotl.” Tlacotle includes a number of plants of the genus jarilla, desert scrub bushes important for making arrows.
• Today’s park is on land once part of the Hacienda de Santa Anita. This was but one of several large agricultural estates, among the others were the Haciendas of San Borja, Santa Cruz, and Tlacoquemécatl. These bordered the towns of San Lorenzo to the south and Mixcoac to the southwest.
• Santa Cruz Tlacoquemécatl is one of the ten original settlements of Benito Juárez. Although the name is reflected widely in the area, the anicent town is usually associated with this park.

By the late 19th century, the estates were nearly all cultivating fruit in giant orchards. The Colonia Del Valle name came with a tram stop which began operating here in 1913. It connected today’s City Center, then Mexico City, with Mixcoac.  The park actually dates from 1958. President Adolfo López Mateos expropriated some of the church land, and some from the Santa Anita estate, to declare the area a park.

It’s a favorite, especially on weekends, for the art exhibitions and sales. It’s also a valuable asset for the neighbors as strollers will quickly come to see.