THE 10 MOST POPULAR CHIHUAHUA LEGENDS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Some of the most widespread and popular Chihuahua legends are the ghosts of La Casona, La Pascualita, Benson's revenge or the curse of the priest.

Since its founding, Chihuahua has been characterized by the legends that surround this city. Previously, this region used to be an old mining town and is more than 300 years old. Its capital is the city of Chihuahua.

Chihuahua Cathedral

This Mexican state has been home to many legends, monuments and heroes throughout its history. In fact, many acts of heroism have taken place in Chihuahua, which makes its inhabitants very proud of their region.

Chihuahua is bordered by the United States, by Coahuila, by Durango, by Sonora, and by Sinaloa. Before colonization, this state was inhabited by nomadic indigenous groups.

When the Spanish arrived, they established silver mines in the region, attracting trade and new inhabitants who enriched the Chihuahuan culture.

Chihuahua is the largest Mexican state. The desert dominates in the north of its geography, but there are also wide canyons and fertile valleys. Part of the Sierra Madre Occidental passes through this region.

List of the best known legends of Chihuahua

1- La Pascualita

It is a mannequin that has been exhibited in the window of the La Popular bridal boutique (the oldest bridal shop in Mexico) for the last 75 years.

Legend has it that Pascualita is not a mannequin, but the perfectly preserved corpse of the daughter of the previous owner.

This mannequin was installed in the display case on March 25, 1930. People could not stop looking at it due to its strong resemblance to a real person. Before long, they realized that this doll looked like the owner's daughter, Pascuala Esparza.

It was concluded that this doll was the embalmed body of this woman, who had recently died on her wedding day.

It is said that the eyes of this doll can follow the customers of the store; it is also believed that during the night she changes positions in the display case.

2- The Mines and the Other World

At Cerro Grande there was a zinc mine, which worked perfectly for years. One day, this mine was closed due to an accident during a drilling that took the lives of many men.

But there is a legend that says that in this mine there was a portal to another world and that very few people were able to cross it. This mine is currently closed.

3- The Pierral Site

Hidalgo del Parral is a city located south of Chihuahua. It is said that in 1629 a Spaniard, named Juan Rangel de Biezma, sought to establish himself in America and came to this town.

Legend has it that when he was exploring the surroundings, Biezma arrived at Cerro de La Cruz and took a stone that was there.

After a moment, he licked it and declared: 'here's money.' In fact, it was correct and this mineral began to be exploited in this deposit (today La Prieta Mine) for 340 years.

4- The House of the Chinese

This myth is supposed to have occurred on Cerro Grande, before its slopes were inhabited. It is believed that if you climbed to the top of the hill and looked to the south west, you could see red flags.

When the sunset coincided with the flags, a great Chinese temple could be observed. But people coming down after witnessing it had to be careful and only go down the northern part before it got dark.

If they did not succeed, the person was subdued by this temple.

5- The Ghosts of the House

La Casona is a large house built at the end of the 19th century; today it works as a restaurant.

Legend has it that the ghost of the first owner's son - General Luis Terrezas - can be seen playing with a blue ball near the stairs. They say this boy was killed when he was accidentally shot.

Additionally, at some point in its history this structure functioned as a religious boarding school for girls. It is said that sometimes you can see the ghosts of girls running around the building playing.

6- Benson's Revenge

Legend has it that during the Mexican Revolution, in San Lorenzo and Tutuaca, a Villista murdered an English man named William Benson for not supporting the Revolution.

Due to his traumatic death, his ghost can be observed wandering through the regions of Santa Rosalía, Los Remedios, Loya Ranch and the San Lorenzo River during rainy days.

7- The Curse of the Priest

In Rosales, during 1811, there lived a priest very loved by the inhabitants of the region. But one day, this priest punished a man because of an affair. As a consequence, this man accused the priest of conspiracy against the government.

When an investigator went to speak with the priest to clarify the case, he died. This gave rise to rumors that the priest was the culprit of his death.

Being a victim of the rejection of the people, the priest José María de Rosales launched a curse against the town and its inhabitants.

8- The Dog Shot in Riva Palacio

Legend has it that Pancho Villa had a telegrapher who did not join his cause to be shot in the pantheon. At the time of being shot, the telegrapher's dog interposed between its owner and the executioners, for which they ordered the dog to be chained.

But the dog managed to escape; Before they could shout the order of action he ran to his master. That day the executioners not only shot the man, but also his dog.

It is said that during the nights of June, it is possible to hear the chains and the wailing of a dog walking through the town of San Andrés.

9- Borja's Treasure

When a General returned to his people defeated after having demonstrated his support for the Villistas to withdraw, he took refuge in the Sierra de Santa Ana along with other soldiers.

Assuming his death, this General told his wife about a treasure hidden in a tree and told her to dig it up when things settled down.

Later, the wife tried to search for said treasure but could never find it. It is said that this search drove her crazy and she could be seen wandering the nearby towns.

Legend has it that their screams can be heard throughout the Sierra de Santa Ana.

10- The Gold Thieves

It is said that on some hill in Chihuahua there is enough gold to never run out.

But this mineral is guarded by two spirits that provide protection to all thieves who seek refuge on this hill.

Themes of interest

The streets of colonial cities and their legends.

Legends of Guatemala.

Legends of Mexico.

Mayan legends.

Argentine legends.

Colombian legends.

Legends of Jalisco.

Legends of Guanajuato.

Durango legends.

Legends of Campeche.

Chiapas legends.

Legends of Baja California Sur.

Baja California legends.

Legends of Aguascalientes.

Legends of Veracruz.

References

1. The mines and the other world. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
2. La Pascualita (2012). Recovered from odditycentral.com
3. The house of the Chinese. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
4. The tricentennial of the founding of Chihuahua. Recovered from bestday.com
5. The chain that drags the dog shot in the palace. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
6. Hidalgo del Parral. Recovered from visit-chihuahua.com
7. The curse of the priest. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
8. Parral: the winner of the 10 gastronomic wonders of mexico. Recovered from mexicodesconocido.com.mx
9. Benson's revenge. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
10. Chihuahua Recovered from britannica.com
11. Borja's treasure. Recovered from paratodomexico.com
12. 4 places to celebrate the day of the dead (2012). Recovered from diario-critica.mx
13. The gold thieves and their spirits. Recovered from paratodomexico.com.