A bit of history

Yet again, Pascual Segura provides us with some fascinating insight into our town via his Facebook page, Recuerdos de Bigastro.

In his most recent article, he explains the origins of Calle Purisima.

In olden times, people travelling from Orihuela to Torrevieja had to pass through Bigastro on a road known as Camino Real -  the widest road in the town. This was the obvious street for locals to set up businesses such as  taverns, bakers shops, butchers etc etc attracting the travellers to spend money on their way.

As traffic through the town increased an alternative route was established which was called Calle Mayor. Calle Purisima at that time was renamed Calle de Arriba because it was above Calle Mayor.

However, when Calle San Joaquin was constructed as a third route through the town, Calle de Arriba was now in the middle and so became known as Calle de un Medio. In fact you still hear locals referring to Calle Purisima as "Middle Street".

Later still the street was renamed again as Calle San Pascual but that was only temporary.

It was on December 4th 1904 that the street became known as Calle Purisima as a way of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Bigastrenses at that time considered renaming the street as a better alternative to spending thousands of pesetas on a fiesta. The name, Calle Mayor was  proposed but there was already a Calle Mayor in the town and the residents of that street objected to a change. Thus Camino Real became, Calle de Arriba, Calle de un Medio, Calle San Pascual and eventually, Calle Purisima.

The plate from 1904, located in front of Caja Murcia.