La Posada del Molino - Historic Landmark and TSWW HQ
The impressive brick chimney standing tall and solemn alongside rusting cast iron gears on the lush grounds of La Posada del Molino is all that is left of the El Progreso sugar mill, an important part of the sugar industry that once flourished in Todos Santos.
Todos Santos was founded in 1723 by Father Jaime Bravo and, starting in the 1850s, became a major producer of brown sugar, exporting large quantities to mainland Mexico and internationally.
At the industry's peak, over a century-long boom, five sugar cane processing plants ("molinos") were grinding cane night and day in Todos Santos, until a drought dropped the water level, exacerbating the demands on the town's aquifer made by the many fields planted with cane. Boom came to bust in the 1950s, when one by one the factories closed, the wealthy owners moved away with their families, and the town's workers found employment elswhere. The town's economy relied on fishing and farming, until a dam in the mountains revived the water supply and tourism returned the magic to the Pueblo Magico.
The El Progreso Molino was owned by Don Abraham Salgado Villalobos. The Domingues family were the owners of another molino on the other side of town, and lived in the stately hacienda known locally as "Casa Dracula" -- TSWW's former home.
Today La Posada del Molino is home to many part-time and full-time ex-pat residents, as well as fearturing a boutique hotel, tropical gardens, and a delightful pool.
