Founded in 1864 Partido de General Las Heras boasts a rich history. It’s a small partido in Buenos Aires Province Argentina. Its location is northeast of Buenos Aires City about 67 km away. The partido’s namesake is Juan Gregorio de Las Heras a hero of the Argentine War of Independence. He even served as governor of Buenos Aires.
Initially Partido de General Las Heras lacked a central urban area. Early settlers were primarily Spanish Italian Irish and English. Later Portuguese French Lebanese Basque and German immigrants joined them. The first authority was a Justice of the Peace Juan Ramon Dumont. He governed from 1865 to 1868. His office was originally in the Mirador de Villamayor. It later moved to the current San Martin Street.
To better manage land the Buenos Aires Province government authorized dividing the land into seven sections. This system ended with the September 11 1884 law. This law separated judicial from administrative and political functions. This marked the start of municipal mayors. Don Juan Zamudio the first mayor was known as the father of the poor. He was known for his generous help and fair judgments. His word carried significant weight in resolving disputes.
The Sarmiento Railway line’s 1872 opening was pivotal. Stations in Merlo and Lobos were established. Las Heras was included along the route. This boosted the area’s growth. Land near the station became valuable leading to a stable and substantial population. Paulino Speratti and his wife Casilda Villamayor donated land. This land was used to build a church a square a school the municipal authority seat and the magistrate’s court.
In 1905 a small two-room building served as the municipal office. Over time it became too small. It housed the mayor justice of the peace police and the Deliberante Council. Renovations occurred in 1906. Later a more substantial rebuild was undertaken concluding in 1958. That building stands today. Partido de General Las Heras evolved from a sparsely populated area to a thriving community shaped by immigration railway development and strong local leadership. Its history is a testament to the collaborative spirit of its people.