Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista (Tlaxcala, Mexico) Records, 1896-1935

Historical Note

Construction of the Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista, located in the Altzayanca municipality in Tlaxcala, Mexico, began in the 18th century. It was owned and operated by the Sanz family, who also owned several other haciendas throughout the state of Tlaxcala and elsewhere in Mexico. During the years represented in the collection, 1896-1935, Manuel Sanz managed the Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista. Sanz lived in Mexico City and conducted the affairs of the hacienda through various administrators and employees who lived on the hacienda in Tlaxcala and oversaw the daily production.

The Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista was mainly concerned with the production and sale of pulque. Made from the fermented juice, or aguamiel, of the maguey plant, pulque is the traditional native drink of Mesoamerica. During a series of agrarian reforms in the 1930s, the government made brutal attacks on haciendas that had existed since the colonial era. In 1935, 4227 hectares were expropriated from the Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista and the hacienda ceased pulque production.

Scope and Contents Note

The collection is comprised of correspondence between the hacienda owner and administrators, as well as financial documents, government documents, inventories, and daily reports related to the management of Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista in Tlaxcala, Mexico. Materials date from 1896-1935 with the bulk of materials dating from 1921-1926 and 1933-1935. The collection is arranged into four series: Correspondence, Financial Documents, Government Documents, and Reports.

The first series,    Correspondence, is split into three categories. The first includes correspondence related to hacienda productive activities and financial needs directed to and from hacienda owner Manuel Sanz. The second category contains letters related to pulque production and sales from the various administrators to clients and others. The third category includes two books of correspondence, one from Manuel Sanz in 1901 and one letterpress book dated 1915-1917.

The second series,    Financial Documents, contains payroll documents, receipts of payment for shipments and for equipment and construction materials, contracts, notes, various handwritten financial reports, and other records created through the management of the hacienda.

The third series,    Government Documents, contains official and supporting documentation related to a lawsuit against Manuel Sanz. It also includes forms, state laws related to hacienda administration, and official correspondence from various government agencies.

The fourth series,    Reports, includes general inventories of the hacienda, work distribution reports, daily reports from hacienda administrators to Manuel Sanz containing information on labor, salaries, and weather, and other reports directly related to administering the daily affairs of the hacienda.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Unrestricted.

Use Restrictions

Standard copyright restrictions apply.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Cite as: Hacienda San Andrés Buenavista (Tlaxcala, Mexico) Records, Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin.

Box and Folder Inventory