Namiquipa was a stronghold of Pancho Villa’s popular movement during much of the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920. However, in 1916 locals switched sides and formed local militia that collaborated with the United States. In 1917 Namiquipa was attacked by Villa and his men, who reportedly raped many townswomen after setting the town ablaze. Villa's commander Nicolas Fernandez managed to take some of the townswomen under his protection, and ordered his soldiers to shoot any one who tried to attack them. After news of the atrocity spread, Villa lost the goodwill of many villagers across Chihuahua.