The community is one of the designated localidades (localities) in the municipio libre (municipality) of Casas Grandes, one of several such pueblos in a wide, fertile valley long inhabited by indigenous people.

[1] The town was originally established as “Pearson” during the Porfirio Díaz presidency in the late 19th century with its economy based on agriculture, timber, cattle and the nearby railroad.

After the Mexican Revolution the town’s name was changed, to honor Juan Mata Ortiz, a local hero who fought against the Apaches in the 19th century.

[7] The town has hosted a ceramics competition called the Concurso de Cerámica since 2008, now supported by FONART, and is a major handcrafts event in Mexico.

This new artistic movement is due to the efforts of Juan Quezada Celado, the self-taught originator of modern Mata Ortiz pottery, his extended family and neighbors.