There is no accurate data on when the town was founded, but it was a settlement before the conquest and under the chieftainship of Tutul Xiu. After colonization, the area became part of the encomienda system with the first encomendero being Francisco de Bracamonte. He was followed by Leonor de Garibay, Andrés Dorantes Magaña and Andrés Dorantes Solís, Bartolomé Días Ugarte, Gabriel Díaz Ugarte and Manuel de Bolio Ojeda y Guzmán and in 1703, it passed to Pedro Calderón y Robles. Yucatán declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821, and in 1825 the area was assigned to the High Sierra partition as its own municipality. In 1929, the name of the county seat was changed to Ciudad Obregón, and again changed in 1930 to Tekax de Álvaro Obregón.
Governance
The municipal president is elected for a three-year term. The town council has nine councilpersons, who serve as Secretary and councilors of education; police commissaries; public works; health; public security; cemeteries, parks and gardens; potable water; and public lighting. The Municipal Council administers the business of the municipality. It is responsible for budgeting and expenditures and producing all required reports for all branches of the municipal administration. Annually it determines educational standards for schools. The Police Commissioners ensure public order and safety. They are tasked with enforcing regulations, distributing materials and administering rulings of general compliance issued by the council.
Communities
The head of the municipality is Tekax de Álvaro Obregón, Yucatán. The municipality has 98 populated places besides the seat including Alfonso Caso, Becanchén, Benito Juárez, Candelaria Nohalal, Canek, Chacmultún, Flor de Pozo, Huntochác, Jesús, Kancab, Kantemó, Kinil, Kiu Xtoquil, Mac-Yan, Manuel Cepeda Peraza, Nueva Santa Cruz, Nuevo Mundo, Pencuyut, San Alonso, San Antonio Knuc, San Diego I, San Diego II, San Diego Buenavista, San Diego Tekax, San Esteban, San Felipe I, San Felipe II, San Francisco, San Gaspar, San Isidro, San José, San Juan, San Norberto, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Ticum, Tixcuytún, Tzakeljaltun, Xaya, Xkiridz and Xpakan. The significant populations are shown below:
Community
Population
Entire Municipality
40,547
Alfonso Caso
393 in 2005
Becanchén
1573 in 2005
Canek
308 in 2005
Huntochac
321 in 2005
Kancab
2670 in 2005
Kantemó
425 in 2005
Kinil
1068 in 2005
Manuel Cepeda Peraza
522 in 2005
Pencuyut
1411 in 2005
Tekax de Álvaro Obregón
23524 in 2005
Ticum
927 in 2005
Tixcuytún
499 in 2005
Xaya
1676 in 2005
Local festivals
Every year from 18 to 22 April the town celebrates a Spring Festival; from 8 May to 1 June in the town of Pencuyut a celebration in honor of St. Bartholomew is held; from 8 to 13 November the town of San Diego de Alcalá holds a fiesta; and from 8 to 15 December 15 in the seat is a celebration in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Tourist attractions
Church and ex-convent of San Juan Bautista, built during the seventeenth century
Hermitage of San Diego, built during the seventeenth century
archeological sites at Chacchob, Chamultun, Chuncanap, Cotbe, Itzitz, Kinil, Nocacab, San Diego, Santa María, Ticum, Tixhualahtun, Tzulay and Xaya.
