“Esmaga Sapo” a name that might make you smile. Paulicéia once bore this curious name. It began long before the Monteiro family arrived.
Paulicéia’s story is woven from old farmlands. Part of it came from the former São Bernardo Farm. Another piece originated from the ancient Piranga Site. This land passed through the hands of Rudge Ramos, Lauro Gomes and Radio Record. The rest belonged to the old Alves Site later called Paulicéia Site.
In 1910 Colonel Francisco Seckler divided his large property. He created plots of land each measuring 10000 square meters. Streets were laid out. They were initially named with letters from A to G. Later the streets were renamed to honor figures and events from the 1932 Revolution. Francisco Alves was the only exception.
The 1930s brought new families. The Magnanis, Raggianis and Marins established potteries. Paulicéia was then filled with plantations potteries and ceramics. After World War II the Iacoponi family decided to divide their plots. Many families came to live in the area. The first access road was the current Cesar Magnani Avenue. Until 1947 ox carts were a common sight. They traversed the swampy areas. The neighborhood was known for being a large mud pit.
Paulo Machado de Carvalho owned Radio Record. He was a devout follower of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. In 1944 Record installed its transmitters. In 1946 the station built the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Chapel. It became famous throughout Brazil. The station broadcast Sunday masses. This attracted numerous faithful pilgrims. In 1976 the chapel was moved. It made way for Avenida 31 de Março. A procession of over ten thousand people accompanied the image. It moved from the old chapel to the new one. The new chapel was located in the Santa’s namesake square.
Industries began arriving in Paulicéia in the 1950s. Urbanization and industrial growth occurred together. The first industry was Cotonifício São Bernardo S/A in 1951. It was known as Bruma textile. Next was Ismarta S/A in 1952. Later came Cerâmica Silva now gone and Mercedes Benz do Brasil in 1954. These promoted significant development in the neighborhood. The first school was a private one run by Professor Kate. The first bus line belonged to Mr. Júlio de Souza. Its route was Paulicéia-Sacomã. The buses were nicknamed “Poeirinha”.
Paulicéia became a cultural hub in the 1990s. There was an explosion of garage bands and theater groups. From 1992 to 1994 the “Desvairando a Paulicéia” event took place. It was held at the CREC. The CREC was the Recreational Center for Sports and Culture. It housed the Procópio Ferreira Theater and the Erico Veríssimo Public Library. The last edition counted 20 theater groups and 15 bands in the neighborhood alone. The theater closed in 1996. The library moved.
The name Paulicéia is a reference to the city of São Paulo. Francisco Rodrigues Seckler an entrepreneur acquired the old Alves Site. He also developed Vila São José in São Caetano.
The Record chapel was a historical landmark. It was located in Esmaga Sapo. This was the lowest point of the neighborhood. It sat in the floodplain of the Ribeirão dos Couros. It was demolished in 1975 and rebuilt elsewhere. The new location was in Paulicéia. This area had the historical nickname Morro do Querosene. Each nickname has its own story. From the swampy Esmaga Sapo one could see the lights of lamps. This was before electricity arrived.
From the late 1960s Vila Paulicéia was chosen. It was among the first neighborhoods to receive mercury vapor lighting. This replaced the dim public lighting. Former Mayor Aldino Pinotti said that the high quality lighting helped guide planes landing at Congonhas.
Paulo Machado de Carvalho owner of Record attended the procession. It marked the transfer of the image. It moved from the old chapel to the new one. Record broadcast the masses. The neighborhood became a nearby option. It was for those who had difficulty traveling to Aparecida. The official creation of the Aparecida sanctuary in 2011 crowned a religious tradition.
Paulicéia is formed by several subdivisions. These predate the laws regulating neighborhood development in Brazil. These include the Paulicéia Site Vila Odete, Vila Paulicéia itself and Vila Paulistana.