San Pedro Textile Factory

Establishment and construction

The construction of the San Pedro textile factory began in 1892 on Miguel Treviño Street, in the San Pedro neighborhood of Uruapan. The complex was developed as part of the expansion of textile manufacturing in Michoacán during the nineteenth century.

The factory was inaugurated in 1897. Its industrial buildings featured two-story structures made of brick and stone, with wooden columns supporting the internal floors and roof structures. The architectural complex reflected the industrial construction techniques of the period.

The company associated with the factory was known as Hurtado y Compañía and later as Hurtado Cerda y Compañía. Its industrial activities were closely connected with the commercial networks of the region.

Industrial development

The factory became one of the important textile manufacturing establishments in Uruapan. It produced textiles using cotton, wool, linen and, to a lesser extent, silk. Its products included shawls, towels, cotton fabrics, handkerchiefs, stockings and other manufactured goods.

The machinery was imported from European and other foreign industrial suppliers, including England, Germany and the United States. During the first decade of the twentieth century, the factory had approximately 200 looms and employed local workers as well as foreign technical specialists.

The factory's production was closely connected with the agricultural economy of Michoacán. Cotton was obtained from the United States, Egypt and agricultural areas of the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán.

Hydraulic infrastructure

One of the distinctive characteristics of the factory was its use of water from the Cupatitzio River and the La Yerbabuena spring.

The water was transported through channels and hydraulic installations to operate turbines that supplied mechanical power to the textile machinery. The industrial infrastructure included water channels, gates, pipes and other installations associated with the river system.

The use of the Cupatitzio River was central to the development of textile manufacturing in Uruapan. The factory's hydraulic installations formed part of a broader network of industrial and agricultural water use in the region.

Twentieth century

During the early twentieth century, the factory experienced financial difficulties. Its industrial activities were affected by economic instability, changes in ownership and the broader disruptions associated with the Mexican Revolution.

The factory continued to use water resources for industrial purposes during much of the twentieth century. Historical records discussed in the UNAM study document the continued use of the La Yerbabuena water supply in the 1960s and 1970s.

Walter Illsley and Bundy Granich established a textile enterprise in Uruapan in 1954. The Illsley family then acquired the San Pedro factory complex in 1988, helping preserve its industrial architecture and textile heritage.

According to Mexico's National Cultural Information System, the historic factory operated as a textile establishment until the end of the twentieth century.

Restoration and adaptive reuse

In 2017, the Fundación Javier Marín began developing a project to transform the former textile factory into a cultural center. The initiative sought to preserve the historic industrial complex while creating a public space for artistic production, exhibitions, education and community activities.

In 2019, the municipal government of Uruapan joined the initiative. The partnership supported the acquisition of the property by the municipality and the development of the cultural project under the direction of the Fundación Javier Marín.

Mexican architect Mauricio Rocha and his Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha were invited to develop a master plan for adapting the historic complex to its new cultural function. The project sought to retain the heritage character of the industrial buildings while introducing contemporary architectural interventions.

Opening

The first section of the Centro Cultural Fábrica de San Pedro opened to the public on 8 April 2022, with the exhibition Punto de partida. Modas, tramas y textiles, curated by Ana Elena Mallet.

The exhibition brought together contemporary Mexican fashion designers and used the history of the factory and the textile traditions of Uruapan as its central themes.

The cultural center was conceived around three principal areas of activity: contemporary art, design and food culture. Its facilities include exhibition spaces, workshops, community areas and spaces for cultural events.

Current activities

The Centro Cultural Fábrica de San Pedro hosts exhibitions, workshops, educational activities, artistic projects and community events. Its programming combines contemporary creative practices with traditional crafts and the cultural heritage of Michoacán.

The complex also includes spaces dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of its industrial history, including historic textile machinery and a site museum presenting the development of the factory and its relationship with the Cupatitzio River.

The Casa de las Artesanías de Michoacán also operates within the cultural complex, promoting traditional crafts produced in different regions of the state.