Was it merely happenstance that brought you before Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana? This building stands as a testament to time. It safeguards the region’s stories. The Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana invites you to delve into Esteban Echeverría’s past.
Founded in 1974 by municipal decree, the Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana initially resided in a schoolroom. This was at Escuela N. 14 “Remedios de Escalada” in Monte Grande. The Golpe de Estado forced a relocation. Objects found refuge in the Casa de la Cultura. A dedicated space was needed. On October 1, 1980, the municipality acquired the estancia “La Campana”. It became the museum’s official home. The grand opening occurred on November 10, 1980.
Pedro Campomar Rotger was a key figure. He served as the institution’s director in its early years. Rotger tirelessly sought donations. He gathered historical objects. These form the core of the museum’s collection.
Inside the Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana, ten rooms await. Each room holds regional historical treasures. A paleontology section showcases a rare Glossotherium fossil. Only four such specimens exist in Argentina. Another is in La Plata’s Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Original documents from Esteban Echeverría’s founders are also on display. Names like Enrique Santamarina, Luis Guillón and Herminio Constanzó are remembered.
Among nearly 2000 donated items, a special book stands out. It chronicles Argentina’s “Primera y única colonia escocesa”. Cecilia Grierson penned it in 1925. Grierson was the country’s first female doctor. A document signed by British consul Woodbine Parish is another highlight. Parish was uncle to the Parish Robertson brothers.
Mud-brick walls guard more treasures. Luciano Valette’s camera is here. He used it during his 1904 expedition to the Orcadas Islands. A piece of Argentina’s first fence is preserved. Bells used to mark land sales are displayed. Furniture from the first municipal government survives. The Thorsen linotype press is present. It enabled the first Danish-language newspaper in Latin America. The Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana also features a “pulpería”. This recreates a typical country store. The Municipal Historical Archive operates within its walls. It safeguards the newspaper “La Voz del Pueblo”.
The house’s history dates back to 1825. The land belonged to the Mc Clymonts. They were among the first Scottish families in Monte Grande. The Parish Robertson brothers initiated an agricultural colony here. Bernardino Rivadavia administered it. Some believe part of the house dates to 1842. This date appears with a bell on the building’s façade.
Federico Álvarez de Toledo once owned the property. He was an advocate for Monte Grande’s autonomy. Later, the Otamendi-Risso family acquired it. They owned the Frigorífico Monte Grande. Fernando Pantaleón Echevarría gave the house its final form. He added a “L” shaped main house. This created a courtyard with a faux well. It replicates the one in Tucumán’s Casa Histórica de la Independencia. He also constructed a chapel. It mirrors the Iglesia de Purmamarca. It is dedicated to the Virgen de los Remedios.
Before becoming the Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana, the building served various purposes. It functioned as a nursing home run by the church. The Municipality of Esteban Echeverría acquired it for use as a traditionalist museum. The museum even housed a zoo of native species. Ángel Norberto Biliani created it. The monument outside honors Guillermo Granado, Isaac Rocha, and Alejandro Vargas. These Esteban Echeverría natives fought in the Falklands War. Patricia Simek created the sculpture. The park bears the name of Fausto Luis Viglione. He was the institution’s first honorary director.
The Museo Histórico Municipal La Campana stands as a place where history is not just preserved. It comes alive. It connects you to the past. It enriches your understanding of the present.