Torreon, Mexico, a significant urban center, is located in the southwestern part of the state of Coahuila. This important Mexican city lies along the Nazas River, positioned at an elevation of 3,674 feet (1,120 meters). Torreon Mexico stands out as a primary hub in northern Mexico for a diverse range of activities including manufacturing, various services, and thriving commercial agriculture.
The area now known as Torreon Mexico has a long history of human habitation. Long before Spanish explorers arrived in the 1500s, indigenous peoples had already established communities in this region. As time progressed, ranches and farms began to emerge near the Nazas River, capitalizing on its water for irrigation. By the mid-19th century, a distinctive torreón, or watchtower, was constructed near the river. The collection of homesteads that gradually formed around this watchtower eventually adopted the name Torreón Ranch. A pivotal moment in Torreon’s development occurred in 1883 when it was connected by railroad to Mexico City. This connection spurred growth, transforming it into a notable livestock and mining center. Torreon was officially recognized as a village in 1893, marking a formal step in its urban evolution.
Torreon Mexico experienced rapid expansion particularly after 1936. This growth was largely stimulated by President Lázaro Cárdenas’ ambitious initiative to launch one of Mexico’s most extensive state-run agricultural projects in the Laguna Region, also known as the Laguna District. This arid basin is situated to the east of Torreon. The project implemented widespread irrigation across the basin, utilizing deep wells and the Nazas River as water sources. Combined with the introduction of mechanized agriculture, this transformed the Laguna Region into one of Mexico’s leading agricultural districts. Torreon naturally became the administrative and commercial heart of this agricultural powerhouse. However, by the late 20th century, excessive irrigation practices began to take a toll on the district’s agriculture, leading to a decline in the water table and increased soil salinization in numerous areas. Despite these agricultural challenges, the economies of Torreon Mexico and the neighboring Gómez Palacio, located directly west across the state border in Durango, became increasingly varied and resilient.
While traditional industries such as food processing, cotton mills, and flour mills remain part of Torreon’s economic fabric, the manufacturing sector has significantly diversified. Today, it is heavily reliant on iron and steel mills, petrochemical plants, and maquiladoras – export-oriented factories. These maquiladoras are key players in producing automobile parts, clothing, and a variety of other consumer goods. Furthermore, the production of machinery, farming and mining equipment, and furniture are also important components of Torreon’s industrial output. Torreon continues to be a vital service center for the mining activities in the surrounding region, which yields silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc, fluorite, marble, and other valuable minerals. The irrigated hinterland around Torreon contributes significantly to the economy, producing cotton, wheat, truck crops, as well as livestock, poultry, and dairy products. With robust infrastructure, Torreon Mexico is readily accessible by railroad, highway, and air, facilitating its role as a major center in northern Mexico. The population of Torreon was recorded at 611,447 in 2010 and grew to 690,193 by 2020. The wider metropolitan area of La Laguna, encompassing Torreón and Gómez Palacio, had a population of 1,215,817 in 2010, which increased to 1,434,283 by 2020, highlighting the substantial urban agglomeration in this region of Mexico.
