A "Pueblo" (village) named "Higueritas" was founded here on 26 October 1831 by Felipe Santiago Torres Leiva. Its status was elevated to "Villa" (town) by the Act of Ley N� 7.257 on 17 August 1920 and then to "Ciudad" (city) by the Act of Ley N� 11961 on 1 July 1953. The city got its name from the ancient city of Palmira in Syria (aramaic for City of Date Trees)
