Heartbeats of Colonia Diaz

By Annie Richardson Johnson

Author’s Background: 

Annie Richardson Johnson lived in Colonia Díaz from her birth until the town was abandoned during the Mexican Revolution.

Book Description: 

Based on her memories and those she solicited from other former residents, the author compiled a thorough history of the northernmost Mormon colony in Mexico, from when the first colonists arrived in 1885 until the Exodus in 1912. The book includes information on the town's culture, industries, civic organizations, schools, and its relationship with the neighboring town of La Ascensión. One chapter’s title, Wall to Wall Religion, explains a lot. The book’s other features include photographs, maps, a town plat diagram, a list of town-site lot owners, a list by family of those who lived in Colonia Díaz according to church records, and an index of those mentioned in the text.

My Opinion:

Easy to read and full of anecdotes, this is a wonderful resource that describes what life was like in Colonia Díaz. My only complaint is that I sometimes find it difficult to locate information I remember reading. The book’s organization can be baffling, and the index contains no subject entries.