Bridging Cultures and Generations in San Miguel

by San Miguel Life

On Feb 7, 1937, a Chicago-born artist named Stirling Dickinson arrived in San Miguel de Allende by train, then took a mule-drawn cart into town. “I looked up and saw the Parroquia sticking up out of the fog, and I said, ‘My gosh, what a place!’

At the time, the town had a population of about 9,000 and had long passed its glory days during the silver rush of the 17th and 18th centuries. But by 1948, Dickinson’s influence had changed San Miguel’s destiny. In that year’s January issue of Life magazine , an article described the town as a “G.I. Paradise” where “veterans go to study art, live cheaply and have a good time.” There are photos of young American couples in their $10-a-month apartments, taking art classes with live models and enjoying a fiesta with mariachis.

Fast forward to an afternoon comida I attended (as a writer for San Miguel Life) with my two girls in the spring of 2022. The gathering was hosted at a restored family property owned by third-generation Sanmiguelense José Antonio and his wife Katharine, originally from Birmingham, Alabama.

Kids skip around the garden, shaded by mesquite trees, while tacos sizzle on a giant comal. The guests chat, mostly in English with a sprinkling of Spanish. We are all connected to San Miguel with strong ties of family, work, and land…

Read more […]