Manzanares

Clutching a steaming cup of mate, I overheard a gaucho recounting tales of Manzanares. He spoke of a time before electricity and paved roads, when the rhythm of life revolved around the daily milk trains chugging towards Buenos Aires. Manzanares, a village nestled in the partido of Pilar, Buenos Aires province, is a place where the echoes of the past intertwine with the hum of modern life. Located just 70 km from the bustling metropolis of Buenos Aires, Manzanares owes its existence to the railway. The village sprang up around the Manzanares station, much like many other towns along the rail lines. The heart of Manzanares still beats around this station. Trains on the Retiro-Dr. Domingo Cabred line of the San Martín railway continue to pass through. Nearby, you’ll find the community center, a first aid station, the San Luis Chapel, and charming shops run by local families. Manzanares’s history stretches back to 1580, when the lands were divided into plots. However, the area remained largely unpopulated, roamed by herds of cattle and groups of Puelches. The village truly began to take shape in the late 19th century. In 1874, a flour mill was established, and Mónica Melo, widow of Máximo Manzanares, donated land for the town, cementing the village’s name. The Manzanares station officially opened on March 25, 1885. The northern part of the village was plotted out the same year, with the main street named after Bartolomé Mitre. Malaquías González Litardo, at just 15 years old, established the first school in his home, providing education up to the third grade. Around 1910, Angelina Manzanares plotted the remaining land, allocating areas for a community center and a new school. Progress arrived swiftly, with the arrival of the first local newspaper, the telegraph, and later the telephone. The mid-20th century saw Manzanares flourish as a dairy hub. Over twenty dairies shipped milk daily to Buenos Aires via the railway. The village buzzed with gauchos, drawn to jineteadas, ring races, and horse races on the old Route 8. In those days, there was no electricity or paved roads. Residents spent their leisure time fishing in the Luján River and Las Flores stream. Nicolás Ruiz Guiñazú introduced polo to the town, further adding to the equestrian passion. The San Luis Chapel, consecrated on February 5, 1963, became a center of community life, hosting traditions such as candlelit Via Crucis processions. Today, Manzanares continues to honor its gaucho heritage through traditionalist centers like Guardia del Pilar, El Pial, Los Cerrillos, and various gaucho groups. The old station, abandoned after the railway’s privatization in the 1990s, has been reclaimed by the community and now houses a public library and cultural center. It serves as a hub for seniors, offering children’s reading programs and various art activities.