The word “Merida” comes from the Latin “Emerita”, the name of a city founded in Spain by Roman conquerors in BC 25. Honoring the Emperor Augustus and its first inhabitants, a group of select soldiers known as the Emeriti, the Spanish city’s full name was “Emerita Augusta”.

When Spain broke free from Roman rule in 409, “Emerita Augusta” became known simply as “Emerita”. As Latin gave rise to the local Romance language, “Emerita” lost the initial “E” and the “T” was pronounced as “D”; hence “Merida”. The Roman “Emerita Augusta” thus became the Merida in Extremadura, Spain, after which the Merida in Yucatan, Mexico, and that in Venezuela were named.

It took the Spaniards almost 175 years to conquer the Maya of the Yucatan peninsula, a challenge the former overcame in two major phases. The first one began in 1527 and ended in 1547, when after two failed attempts, the Europeans finally settled down in the northeast portion of the peninsula. The second phase started in the late 16th century, when the Spaniards began invading the territory between the Puuc hills and the Peten.

Gonzalo Guerrero was a Spaniard cast away on the shores of the Yucatan peninsula, who fought on the Maya side against the invaders.

According to an old book known as Chilam Balam, the first interracial mixing in Mexican history took place in 1511, after Guerrero and other Spanish castaways reached the coasts of the area now known as Quintana Roo.

In 1551, Friar Diego de Landa becomes the Guardian of Izamal, where he engages in the arduous undertaking of building a Catholic temple and a Franciscan convent over the ruins of the Papp Hol Chac Maya temple.

In 1618, King Phillip III of Spain grants Merida, the capital of the province, the title of “Most Loyal and Most Noble” city as well as a coat of arms featuring a rampant lion on green field and a towered castle on blue field.

The City Hall is built in 1734.

With the arrival of the first print in Merida, in 1813, comes the publication of the province’s first paper “El Aristarco”, edited by Don Lorenzo de Zavala. This is soon followed by other publications, like “El Miscelaneo” and “El Redactor Meridano”.

On September 15th 1821, Yucatan is declared independent from Spain, during a session in the Council Room of Merida’s City Hall. In the same session, it is proposed that the province joins the newly emerged Mexican Republic.

Yucatan thus proclaims its union to the Federal Republic, under a Liberal and Representative Government.

The first Political Constitution of the Free State of Yucatan is signed on April 6th 1825 and promulgated on April 23rd of the same year.

The second Constitution of the State of Yucatan is promulgated on March 31st 1841.

In 1843, Yucatan secedes from the Mexican Republic. In 1857, a portion of Yucatan secedes and becomes the State of Campeche.

On August 17th 1848, Yucatan formally rejoins the Mexican Republic. This marks the end of the secessionist uprisings that ensued the fall of the federal regime in the country.

On July 6th 1865, the first telegraph pole is fixed.

The State Literary Institute is founded on July 18th 1867.

On January 1st 1869, the first issue of “La Revista de Merida” is published. This paper, founded by Don Ramon Aldana del Puerto and Don Manuel Aldana Rivas, was continuously published for the next half-century.

Construction of the Merida-Progreso railway begins on April 1st 1875.

The State Congress grants the title of Township to the village and port of Progreso on January 9th 1875.

State Governor General Guillermo Palomino lays the foundation rock of the Juarez Penitentiary on January 6th 1887.

Made up of prominent citizens, Merida’s first Fire Brigade is established on January 4th 1891.

The “Jose Peon Contreras” Theater is officially opened in 1908.

The setting up of Merida’s first power plant concludes on August 31st 1901.

In an extremely unusual event, a trepidatory earthquake is felt in Yucatan and Campeche at 5:30 on the morning of January 1st 1910.  Although it lasted only 2 to 3 seconds, the quake astonished locals.

General Salvador Alvarado Rubio leads his Constitutionalist Army troops enter Merida on March 19th 1915.

Felipe Carrillo Puerto founds the Southeastern National University in 1922.