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Let's Go2Mazatlan - Articles Mazatlan Historic Center - Part VI
The “Mazatleco” (as Mazatlán’s inhabitants call themselves) is someone who from childhood is used to interact and live among foreigners, this is part of their lifestyle and it stands out in their straightforward warmth, an attribute not lost amidst their impressive growth and development. This is what makes Mazatlan a very interesting and attractive tourist destination, bringing every year a growing number of new travelers who are not only surprised by its natural beauty and great history, but they also find in Mazatlan an exciting place to invest, most specially those contemplating retirement.
Even more valuable than each one of the buildings that form the Historic Center of Mazatlan, cultural heritage of Mexico for the world, is what was once lived inside them. The series of stories and anecdotes that happened in each and every building, have been in many cases, the basis over which customs and habitudes that persist to date were established and are distinctive of Mazatlecos. In continuing with our tour we find the following buildings: • Los Nava Mansion This building is located on Belisario Domínguez Street and is maybe one of the oldest in the city, its construction is estimated to date back to the year 1852; during the period of the French intervention it served as lodging for the higher officers of the imperialist French army. Registers indicate that its ground floor was occupied by the best and most exclusive businesses, and in times when buildings were landmarks with names to them, everyone knew this one as La Fama (The Fame) building. Some time before this property was built, back in the 1820s, the location hosted the Barre & Kennedy commercial business. This deserves to be noted as in 1826 Mr. John Lennox Kennedy, was named local consulate for the United States of America, making Mazatlan the second consulate in Latin America, after that of La Habana, Cuba. The most worthy refurbishment of this building is worthy of admiration as it carefully preserved its original architectural design. • Guadalajara School Building
Its lower façade features very tall windows ending in arches, protected by wrought-iron grills. On its upper part, a balcony with a wrought-iron banister surrounds the building, sustained by a well-proportioned cornice; its rectangular upper windows are adorned by a half-arch protruding from the wall and the roof is crowned by a beautiful cornice providing true balance and architectural weight. • Elorza, Lejarza & Company Building This imposing facility was built by the commercial enterprise Elorza, Lejarza y Cía, at the beginning of the twentieth century, with the purpose of establishing there its headquarters. The Casa Elorza was one of the few commercial stores that survived the times of the revolution, against all odds it continued to operate until the sixties, when the owners decided to move to another part of the city to reopen their business under the new commercial name of Casa Letamendi. It is recommended to ask for permission to enter and experience its interior, as only then can one can have a more precise idea of the enormity of the commercial stores of the nineteenth century. Its design follows the same tendency of tall-arched and grilled windows; high ceilings and balconies surrounding the buildings on its upper floor, all of this accompanied by cornices and ornaments that give the facility an air of sobriety. Presently, thanks to the multiple rooms and halls this building holds, it houses the Liceo Mazatlán, an educational institution. • Central Hotel Building According to researched data, this place housed the commercial store of Vega y Hermanos in 1842. Later, the house of the Vazavilbazo family was located here, who after not too long a period of occupation parted and sold the property to the wealthy businessman Guillermo Haas, son of a Prussian immigrant who built here the famous and well-remembered Hotel Central. The hotel opened its doors in 1888 and was one of the best on the Pacific Coast until the thirties. It was a delight to be lodged here; its glamour and the quality of its services and facilities were considered magnificent and insuperable. It had a central patio surrounded by wooden panels with fine and colorful stained-glass that were used in private dancing balls. Its restaurant offered gourmet cuisine and its bar featured the finest European wines and the most exotic cocktails. Its wine cellar was considered the best-stocked in the city. Diners were daily and nightly delighted with soft melodies, played by the orchestra of virtuoso Eligio Mora. The most prominent people, illustrious visitors and high-flying politicians stayed here. This hotel, located on the corner of Belisario Domínguez and Angel Flores streets, with the passage of years lost its economic viability; it was closed and sold by its owners and it remained closed for a period of time. It later held some movie halls which also had to close due to labor conflicts; it now houses offices. • Imperial Hotel Building
Its design consisted in a wide central patio which was surrounded by hallways leading to spacious and regally furnished rooms. Chronicles of the times point out that the predominant furniture styles were Louis XV, Queen Anne and Early American, and the décor, lamps and china came from the best manufacturing houses of Europe. The elegance of its rooms and ballrooms as well as its excellent cuisine and service were very much sought after and appreciated. Festivities were punctually celebrated yearly, such as the commemoration of The Storming of the Bastille, on July 14, a happening much awaited by the city’s numerous French community, headed in those times by the most important promoter of industries, Mr. Alejandro Loubet, major stockholder of the Fundición de Sinaloa, the first ice factory and many more industries.
The journey through the Historic Center continues… Jesús de Avila. More about Mazatlan:
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Like no other Mexican destination, presently 
A structure located on the former Recreo Street, now named Constitución, to honor the 1857 Magna Carta. It is an imposing two story building that was used by several federal government entities starting in 1880; among them the postal and telegraph offices. For over 60 years it housed the Colegio Guadalajara, a prestigious religious nuns’ school that was forced to close due to the lack of necessary funds to cover the high costs of maintenance and conservation of the facility.
It is a single story building located on Sixto Osuna Street, on the corner of Niños Héroes, was completed in 1873, and was designed specifically to act as a lodging facility. It opened its doors as the “Hotel Franco Americano”, although it was later known as Hotel Nacional, Hotel de Francia and Hotel Imperial, keeping this name until its closure. 
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