In the 16th and 17th centuries there were hardly any mention to Canillá. In the 18th century, however, then archbishop of Guatemala, doctor Pedro Cortés y Larraz, made some notes on the place while he was traveling his parish between 1768 and made a stop at San Andrés Sahcabahá (San Andrés Sajcabajá): There is a ranch called Caniliá and even though there is a valley of about half hour, but the land is too dry and there is a maize of very deep ravines on both sides of the path; afterwards one crosses the Cacux river, who has a strong current from South to North. The ranch indication means that in those days there was still not a definitive human settlement, while the deep ravines come from the fact that Canillá is located in the Sierra de Chuacús mountains.