Pancho Villa Museum

At the top of the hill called "Le Bofa" is the Museo de Pancho Villa. Doroteo Arango, aka Francisco "Pancho" Villa was a bit of a Robin Hood character who began his run from the law and assumed the name Francisco "Pancho" Villa when, as a 16 year old sharecropper, he killed the hacienda owner who had raped his twelve year old sister. There is little recorded of his activities for the next few years while he and his followers "liberated" some of the vast parcels of land held by the Hacienda owners and redistributed the land in parcels to the poor and to the families of his fallen followers.

Years later he was recruited by the opposition to the Government because of his fearlessness and brilliant military mind. He initially turned them down but later relented and was put in charge of the Division del Norte (Northern Division) of the rebel army.

Zacatecas was the headquarters of one of the last Government Military Divisions still loyal to President Huerta and they prepared to repel Villa's attack by establishing their defenses atop the nearby hill called "Le Bofa". This was a smart move as the hill is very steep and rocky and the 9,000 foot altitude would quickly tax the energy and resolve of any climbing attackers, while the defenders could simply stay put and fire down on them. The Government troops were well armed and supplied and from photos of the time, appeared to outnumber Villa's troops. What they did not plan for was the brilliant military tactics of Villa and the fearlessness (ruthlessness) of his followers, called "Villistas", who avoided wearing themselves out by transporting themselves, their horses and equipment to Zacatecas in commandeered railway cars. On June 23, 1914, Pancho Villa took the hill called "Le Bofa", leaving 7,000 dead and 5,000 wounded Government troops.

The first photo is the statue of Villa on horseback and the second is one of the few surviving photographs of the General. The third is two of his "Villistas" riding through the streets of Zacatecas after the battle and the last is one of the weapons used in the battle.