Formerly, its name was Taximaroa, and it was the part of the Purépecha Empire closest to the Aztec Empire. This prompted two unsuccessful Aztec invasions as well as the first Spanish incursion into Purépecha lands in 1522. For both the city and rural communities around it, forestry and furniture making are important parts of the economy, but deforestation is forcing the area to look into alternatives such as tourism to take advantage of its natural resources and cultural sites.
Formerly called Taximaroa, it was the nearest part of the Purépecha Empire to the Aztec Empire, causing two unsuccessful attempts by the Aztecs to conquer it and the first Spanish expedition into Purépecha lands in 1522. Both urban and rural communities around it have a significant economy based on forestry and furniture production, but deforestation is leading them to explore alternative sources of income, such as tourism, to make use of its natural resources and cultural sites.