It was here that Father Miguel Hidalgo spoke his famous cry for the independence of Mexico ( the Grito de Dolores ) . This was in the early hours of September 16 , 1810 , in front of his parish church . The city was a small town known simply as Dolores when Father Miguel Hidalgo uttered his famous cry for the independence of Mexico ( the Grito de Dolores ) there in the early hours of September 16 , 1810 , in front of his parish church .