Historical background of the region

 

In the XVII century, the Poyas and the Puelche –both of them Indian partialities- inhabited this region, and were settled on the sides of Nahuel Huapi Lake and on Victoria Island.

 

In the XVIII and XIX centuries, the process of “araucanización” took place and the mapuche, natives from what we call Chile today , established in our territory expanding their culture. This, in some cases, was favored by the practices of some partialities, such as the Pehuenche, of kidnapping women from other tribes. This women would later teach their lifestyle to their children.

 

“Araucano” is the name the Spanish gave to the “mapuche”, so that both terms refer to the same ethnical group.

 

The expedition to Nahuel Huapi is the second stage of the Campaign of the Desert, which was commanded by General Conrado Villegas in 1881. At that time, this region was inhabited by the tribe belonging to Cacique (Chief) Inacayal, from the Huiliche group, that was part of the “Mapuche Nation” which extended from Neuquen to Santa Cruz, being Saihueque the most important cacique (other caciques depended on him). Inacayal had his huts in Tequel Malal, near Limay river´s birth, where the Jones family live nowadays, being the coast of the lake the area of influence of these groups.

 

When the Campaign of the Desert ended in 1902, General Roca created the pastoral colony of Nahuel Huapi Lake, surrendering lands to the colonists under certain conditions.

 

In 1932,the records of the foundation of General A.Justo town were signed when the radiotelegraphic office of the Correntoso area was opened on Boulevard Nahuel Huapi, where the actual Prefectura Naval Argentina is placed nowadays.

 

In 1934 the organic law of National Parks was promulgated (Law N° 12.103) and Nahuel Huapi National Park was created on the bases of the three square leagues donated by the expert Francisco Pascacio Moreno in 1903.

 

Lawyer Ezequiel Bustillo presided over the first Directory of National Parks, and he did it for ten years, being his brother, the architect Alejandro Bustillo the adviser of the technical team. The most picturesque works from the first period of the Park in Angostura belong  to A. Bustillo, being some of his works: the Asunción Chapel, 104 School, the Guard's Park house near the lake, the first Power Station (previous building of this museum) and Messidor Residence.

 

In the year 1945 the Territorial Government of Neuquén created the “Comisión de Fomento” (Commission of Development) of Villa la Angostura.

 

In 1955, Neuquen National Territory became a province.

Text: Mercedes Palavecino (Museóloga)

 Translated By María Cecilia Buzón with the help of Marta Moreschi de Vega and Romina Braicovich.