Rural pathway: Cabildo
MEDITERRANEAN FOOD FESTIVAL
At this culinary event, Mediterranean food is valued for its health benefits, its ingredients and cooking methods. In addition, you can enjoy artistic shows, entrepreneurs and artisans’ stands. The event also includes an auditorium tent with thematic talks, olive oil tasting and food stands. Many groups or institutions participate in the event like The Rural Tourism Group “Tradiciones Mediterráneas” (Mediterranean Traditions), INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology, for its acronym in Spanish) and advisors, among others.
DISCOVER CABILDO ATTRACTIONS
Cabildo, like most towns in Buenos Aires, originated due to the railroad and agricultural activity. In its streets there are buildings with wide historical-architectural value, with plenty of anecdotes and memories.
In the 21st century there are still peaceful and quiet towns. Cabildo is a closed-knit community, where people don’t use the street numbers or names as a reference, but their neighbors’ surnames. Bicycles and cars can be left on the sidewalk without worries, and traffic lights are unknown elements.
CABILDO STATION (1903) | 10 Zapiola St.
After its foundation, a new railway station was inaugurated in Coronel Pringles, which operates between Constitución and Bahia Blanca. Its name honors the Cabildo Abierto of 1810, which was a turning point in history that gave rise to the formation of the first patriotic government to achieve independence. Throughout time, the community has always assigned an important symbolic value to the station, since its inauguration gave origin to the town.
PLAZA DE MAYO SQUARE (1910) | Pringles & Saavedra Sts.
Originally, the square was fenced off as a pasture where the housewives used to hang their freshly washed clothes. Currently, it is the main meeting point for teenagers who gather for different activities.
SOCIEDAD ITALIANA (1919) / 36 Las Heras St.
This society was founded by Don Feliciano Luchelli, chief of the railroad station, together with Don José Lolli. Its aim was to reunite families that were part of the Italian community. After the laying of the foundation stone that would lead to the construction of this society, the project of a theater hall to be built with the cooperation of all the local Italians was projected.
PRADO ESPAÑOL |THE SPANISH MEADOW | Alberti & San Martin St.
Prado Español is a venue where the popular Romerías Españolas (Spanish festival with snacks, dances, etc.) were held annually. These celebrations lasted three days: They began with the arrival of musicians to the town by train. Then, they would get off the train, join the locals and play typical Spanish tunes while heading towards the Prado Español. The rest of the event consisted in enjoying game fairs, beverages, food and dances.
COOPERATIVA SOMBRA DE TORO LTDA (1948) y PLANTA DE ACOPIO DE CEREALES | SOMBRA DEL TORO CO-OP LTD. (1948) and CEREAL PLANT (1965)
It was founded by 36 producers of the rural area to provide supplies and commercialize their products. Cooperativa Sombra de Toro Ltd. was the main protagonist of Cabildo for more than 50 years, reaching more than 500 members who found in it their economic, financial and commercial support. In 1965, the Grain Storage Plant was inaugurated. As a result of a period of significant industrial growth, this plant was equipped with 6100-ton elevators, 1000-meter covered sheds, high weighing scales, and railway diversions.
ESCUELA Nº 19 “REMEDIOS DE ESCALADA DE SAN MARTÍN” (1907) | SCHOOL N°19 “REMEDIOS DE ESCALADA DE SAN MARTÍN” (1907) | 24 Ardohain St.
It was the first school in the area when most of the blocks were paddocks. Students of that time claimed to remember vividly the teacher Victoria Sinclair, who inspired the name of the neighborhood where the school is located, the square in front of the school, and the monument in the center of the square.
ARDOHAIN AVE. | Saez Peña & Caronti Sts.
This avenue is highly valued by the local community as its beautiful grove leads to one of the accesses to the Sauce Grande stream.
PLAZA VICTORIA SINCLAIR | VICTORIA SINCLAIR SQUARE | Chacabuco & 9 de Julio Sts.
The square is located at the back of the train tracks, built in memoirs of the first teacher of Cabildo, Victoria Sinclair. There is a monument in her honor, in addition to a red bench that symbolizes gender violence, located in the Virgin of Schoenstatt’s chapel on Estomba Street.
PUENTE FERROVIARIO | RAILWAY BRIDGE
At the northern access to the town, over the Napostá Chico Creek, there is a railway bridge used by the Pringles branch line. This bridge links Bahía Blanca with Olavarría town, and goes through the Estomba station, Saldungaray, Sierra de la Ventana, among other towns.
The bridge is situated on the General Cerri local road, well-known by the residents as “road to Estomba”, which gives access to the Paso de las Piedras Dam.
EX CORREO | FORMER MAIL | 58 La Plata St.
The Sociedad Española de Socorros Mutuos (Spanish Society of Mutual Relief) was founded in 1903. In 1920, the building was repurposed as the local post office.
CANCHA DE FUTBOL “CLUB ATLETICO PACIFICO” (1927)| “CLUB ATLÉTICO PACÍFICO” FOOTBALL FIELD (1927) | 100 Gregorio Garmendia St.
“Pacifico de Cabildo” Football Club was formed by a group of children who were fans of Pacífico Club of Bahía Blanca after the latter became the undefeated champion of the Liga del Sur (oldest football league in the country that includes clubs of bahia blanca and the area). From that moment on, they formed a team that soon began to compete in the local league and even in the Liga del Sur. The team still continues to compete in this league and its regulation football field is recognized as one of the best in the area.
EX USINA ELÉCTRICA (1926)|FORMER POWER PLANT (1926) | San Martin & Saavedra Sts.
In the beginning, it was located on the corner of Larrea and Vieytes Sts., where the fire station is currently based. In 1956, the Cooperativa de Luz y Fuerza was created, which initially provided the lighting service from 7.00 p.m. to 2.00 a.m. Neighbors remember that during the “Romería Española” (Spanish festival with snacks, dances, etc.) the light would flicker two or three times as a sign that the party was about to end. Everyone would return to their homes before the power was cut.
EX HOTEL ITALIA (1912) y EX HOTEL RECREO (1921) | FORMER ITALIAN AND RECREO HOTELS (1912-1921)| Buenos Aires & Vicente Lopez Sts.
These two buildings accommodated travelers and workers who came to work on the railroad. Also, they were used for the projection of films and functioned as important social meeting places.