Empalme, Mexico
Empalme is a town of 42,516 people in Sonora, Mexico, founded in September 15, 1905.
Why visit Empalme
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails and 1 place to eat in and around town.
Weather in Empalme
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Empalme
Empalme is a city surrounded by the homonymous municipality located on the south-central coast of the Mexican state of Sonora. According to the 2005 census, the population of the city was 40,630 inhabitants, while the municipality, which has an area of 708.53 km2 (273.56 sq mi), reported 50,663 inhabitants. Except for its coastline on the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortes), the municipality is surrounded by the much larger municipality of Guaymas.
From the Wikipedia article Empalme, Sonora (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks12
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Plaza Centenario
Park
Creada en conmemoración del Centenario de la Independencia de México.
Restaurants and cafes1
Churches and places of worship3
History
Unlike other towns or cities in Mexico, Empalme was built entirely by foreigners, specifically the Utah Construction Company under contract to the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Very few native materials were used in the construction. The founders owned a major railroad, affording easy transportation of materials and personnel. The purpose of the settlement was to provide repair facilities for SP operations in Mexico, with a large shop and roundhouse. They still exist today, although unused; repair and maintenance now being done in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Hundreds of the homes built originally still exist in Empalme, their design and materials unchanged.
One native feature that the developers used was the planting of hundreds of Ficus microcarpa known locally as the Yucateco brought from southern Mexico. It grows to heights exceeding 100 feet. Their common name implies that they are native to the state of Yucatán. These trees were well suited for the hot, humid climate of Empalme. They are still probably the most easily recognized feature of the town. In many places they cover entire streets for several blocks so that streets appear to be passing through a tunnel.
From the History section of Empalme, Sonora on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping3
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Escuela General Benito Juárez
School · 1.1 km
Boulevard 16 de Septiembre, Empalme, Sonora
Escuela Primaria Estatal Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
School · 0.8 km
Boulevard 16 de Septiembre, Empalme, Sonora
Healthcare1
Map of Empalme
37 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
General José María Yáñez International Airport (GYM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 km away.
- San José de Guaymas 7 km northwest, about 7 min by car
- Heroica Guaymas 10 km southwest, about 10 min by car
- San Fernando de Guaymas 10 km east, about 10 min by car
- Cruz de Piedra 13 km east, about 13 min by car
- Maytorena 14 km northeast, about 14 min by car
- La Palma 15 km northeast, about 15 min by car
- Mi Patria es Primero 17 km northeast, about 17 min by car
- Ursulo Galván 18 km northeast, about 18 min by car
- José María Morelos y Pavón 19 km northeast, about 19 min by car
- San Carlos 23 km west, about 23 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cristo Rey, Empalme, LIMO 5, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.