A black and white photo postcard of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, looking north across the border to Douglas, Arizona. The front caption in white at the bottom reads: “Agua Prieta san Mexica looking North over Border to Douglas Arizona US Land + Cal Osbon Photo.” The postcard is unused and was published by Cal Osbon. Glenn Ranch Collection.

Aqua Preita is a Mexican town directly across the border from Douglas, Arizona. Its name means dark water in Spanish. The town was established in 1899 after Phelps Dodge built a railroad to transport copper from a mine in Nacozari, Mexico to the United States. Aqua Prieta was incorporated in 1916. Two Mexican presidents, Plutarca Elias Calles and Lazaro Cardenas, lived there and the town was attacked by Pancho Villa’s army during the Mexican Revolution. Today, Aqua Prieta is home to the first solar combined cycle power plant, the first of its kind in Mexico that was built by Siemens Mexico Energy.

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