It was founded by Franciscan missionaries on September 8, 1660, as Santa María de Nativitas Bachiniva.

Bachiniva is a Rarámuri native Indian word which means the place of the wild pumpkin flower.

With the arrival of the Franciscan missionaries to the area, most natives left their settlement rejecting the evangelization process of the catholic church.

Some of the natives however were converted to the new religion and the mission of Santa Maria de Nativitas Bachíniva was founded with a church that still stands today.

Later on, Spanish immigrants and Mexican from the south of Mexico settled in the area along the fertile lands of the Santa Maria River.