Heroic Town of Pascual Orozco (formerly San Isidro), Municipality of Guerrero, Chihuahua
This mosaic is installed on the wall that forms part of the Monument to the Initiators of the Mexican Revolution, inaugurated by President Adolfo López Mateos in 1961.
The work is composed of a vast array of elements representing the region’s natural environment, the traditional occupations of its inhabitants, historical figures and everyday people, domestic and wild animals, events of national significance, and heroic deeds.
The mural-mosaic is entitled "ONE SINGLE FLAME" because San Isidro was the town where the liberating fire of the Mexican Revolution was first ignited on November 19, 1910, continuing until the capture of Ciudad Juárez on May 10, 1911, an event that led to the collapse of the dictatorship. This historic episode is symbolized by a burning sheaf of corn, whose flames spread throughout the Republic.
The base of the blaze has a pyramidal form, alluding to the triangle—a figure rich in symbolism across nearly every civilization and a universal emblem of strength and endurance. The underlying message is that the extraordinary determination and intelligence demonstrated by the rebels of 1910 should continue to inspire the Mexican people today.
Through this intricate composition of people and objects, the mural recreates approximately one hundred and fifty years of the community's history. Although the artwork stands on its own and requires no explanation, its imagery also reflects the human condition, with its circumstances, passions, and aspirations. One of those aspirations is expressed here: to preserve the memory of the past in order to guide future generations along the path ahead, preventing the future from becoming a succession of blind leaps into darkness.
Among the many events, circumstances, and individuals represented in the mural are:
The local geography, highlighted by Cerro Blanco de Calera, where silver and lead were mined for centuries.
The cultivation of corn and apples, together with the laborers who worked the land. Also represented is the tradition of muleteering, a livelihood embraced by generations of local families.
A depiction of the Apache people, the unconquered nation that fought a long war across northern Mexico, leaving a lasting imprint on the identity of the region’s inhabitants.
The struggle for land and the establishment of the ejido in 1921, one of the first in Mexico, as well as the fight for public education.
The railroads, which reached the town in 1906 and became an essential means of transportation during the Revolution.
The revolutionary cavalry, majestically portrayed through the noble horses engaged in battle.
The Portraits Depicted in the Mural
Colonel and Attorney Ignacio Orozco Sandoval (1813–1872)
He fought alongside the Liberal Army in numerous battles during the Reform War and the French Intervention. A trusted associate of President Benito Juárez, he was entrusted with important political and military missions.
Teachers Julia Franco Domínguez (1889–1967) and Guadalupe Rodríguez Almuina (1913–2001)
These two women honor the countless educators whose roots are in San Isidro. Both served as principals of 20 de Noviembre Elementary School. Julia Franco began her teaching career in 1908 and continued throughout the difficult years of the armed Revolution.
The Town Band (1910)
The band was formed by the brothers Fidel, Joaquín, Jesús Antonio, and José González, together with their cousin José Morales González. Except for Fidel, all were killed in the battles of Cerro Prieto and El Chopeque on December 11, 1910, alongside approximately thirty young men, most of them from San Isidro.
Albino Frías Chacón (1858–1930)
He was appointed the first revolutionary leader by the residents of San Isidro in November 1910. His home served as the meeting place for numerous conspiratorial gatherings prior to the armed uprising.
Marcelo Caraveo Frías (1885–1955)
Among the first to take up arms, he participated in every stage of the Revolution until 1929, when he was serving as Governor of the State of Chihuahua.
Pascual Orozco Vázquez (1883–1915)
He was the principal military commander during the first phase of the armed struggle. His courage and leadership were instrumental to the Revolution's early victories. In 1912, he led a rebellion against the government of Francisco I. Madero, advocating an advanced program of social reforms, many of which were later incorporated into the Constitution of 1917.
Víctor Orozco
