Place:Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico

source: Family History Library Catalog

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Sisal is a seaport town in Hunucmá Municipality in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. It was the principal port of Yucatán during the henequen boom, later overshadowed when the more modern port of Progreso was built to the east. It lent its name to the agave-derived sisal fiber which was shipped through this port.

The town is about 53 km north north-west of Mérida, the state capital. By law when the Yucatán was part of New Spain, all commerce went through the port of Campeche. The residents of Mérida petititioned for a port closer to the capital, and this was granted by Spanish royal decree on 13 February 1810. The new port of Sisal was founded in 1811, and has a late colonial era fortress, the "Fuerte de Santiago", and an old lighthouse. After Yucatán's independence from Spain commerce in the port grew rapidly, and by 1845 was shipping cargos with twice the value that had previously gone through Campeche. After the development of Progreso, Sisal's importance declined and today is a small fishing village, visited by some for its beach.

As of the Mexican census of 2010, Sisal had an official population of 1,837 inhabitants. Currently (Dec 2006) the state government is working to return this port to the splendor of centuries past through the development of projects focused on tourism as declared the governor Patricio Patron Laviada. With the planning being done by a U.S. company and to be developed during the next governing term. The port is planned to grow into a tourist destination as well as shelterport for fishermen and tourist vessels.

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