Lerma, State of Mexico
| Lerma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town & Municipality | ||
| Lerma de Villada | ||
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 Lerma
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| Coordinates: 19°17′05″N 99°30′43″W / 19.28472°N 99.51194°WCoordinates: 19°17′05″N 99°30′43″W / 19.28472°N 99.51194°W | ||
| Country |
 Mexico
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| State | State of Mexico | |
| Founded | 1616 | |
| Municipal Status | 1826 | |
| Government | ||
| • Municipal President | Fidel Alejandro Castillo Ambriz | |
| Area | ||
| • Municipality | 228.64 km2 (88.28 sq mi) | |
| Elevation of seat | 2,570 m (8,430 ft) | |
| Population (2005) Municipality | ||
| • Municipality | 105,578 | |
| • Seat | 16,827 | |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | |
| Postal code (of seat) | 51350 | |
| Area code(s) | 722 | |
| Website | (in Spanish) /Official site | |
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Lerma (formally Lerma de Villada) is a city and municipality located just east of Toluca and 54 km west of Mexico City in State of Mexico, Mexico. The city was founded in the early colonial period and named after the Duke of Lerma in Spain. The municipal area saw two battles of the Mexican War of Independence, the Battle of Monte de las Cruces and the Battle of Lerma. For a time after independence, the city was the capital of Mexico State before it was moved to Toluca. The municipality is in one of the most densely populated areas of Mexico and is growing. Much of this growth is occurring near the Toluca-Mexico City highway and on the floodplains of the Lerma River. The latter has caused significant problems with flooding when the river overflows its banks during the rainy season. The Nahuatl name for the area is Cacamilhuacan, which translates to “crows in the field.” In the early colonial period, the area was called Santa Clara Cacamilhuacan. The municipality has both an Aztec glyph with a crow reflecting its Nahuatl name and a Spanish coat of arms.
The area was first inhabited by the Otomis, the Mazahuas and the Matlatzincas. Much of this area was marshland fed by the Lerma River. Some claim that the city was founded by the Matlatzincas before the Aztecs arrived, but this is disputed. The area was subdued in 1426 by the Aztec emperor Itzcoatl, when the main settlement was Huitzizilapan. After the Spanish Conquest, the area was divided into encomenderos with this area under the control of Isabel Moctezuma, with Martín Chimaltecatl, the indigenous leader of Ocoyocac having influence. At that time the major settlement here was San Pedro Tultepec as the city of Lerma did not exist. The city would be founded in 1616 as a village.
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