Patricio Peralta Ramos
Encyclopedia
Patricio Peralta Ramos was an Argentine businessman and landowner prominent in the foundation of the seaside Mar del Plata
.
section of Buenos Aires
in 1814. His father, José de Peralta, was a high-ranking official of the Patricios Regiment. In 1860, he married a distant relative, Cecilia Ramos, with whom he had twelve children.
Peralta Ramos became a large clothing supplier to the Argentine Army
during the 1829-52 regime of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas
, of whom Peralta Ramos became an official supporter in 1842. A wealthy man by the time of Rosas' overthrow at the 1852 Battle of Caseros
, he traveled in 1860 to the Atlantic Ocean
shore, where he purchased over 136,000 hectares (340,000 acres) from Portuguese
Consul José Coelho de Meyrelles, and a meat salting house.
His beef jerky
facility struggling, Peralta Ramos embarked on the initial real estate
developmet of his vast, scenic land. His enterprise met with the resistance of the gentry of Balcarce
(then the county seat), though in 1865, he obtained a favorable ruling for the shoreline development from the local Justice of Peace, Juan Peña. Seizing on a discrepancy between Peralta Ramos' holdings and what appeared in the official appraisal, Balcarce founder and Mayor José Chaves nearly forced his adversary to relocate his planned development on marshland, but an 1867 letter in Peralta Ramos' support by neighboring Mar Chiquita
Judge José Bernal
to Buenos Aires Province
official Nicolás Avellaneda
settled the dispute in Peralta Ramos' favor.
Advertising the development as Puerto de la Laguna de los Padres, the sale of lots was successful, and in 1873, Peralta Ramos petitioned the province for the seaside hamlet's incorporation, which was granted by Governor Mariano Acosta
on February 10, 1874, as Puerto Balcarce. As this nomenclature was assigned over his objections, Peralta Ramos unofficially christened the community Mar del Plata (the "Silver Sea").
The accomplishment was clouded, however, by the death of his wife, Cecilia, in honor of whom Peralta Ramos personally designed and built the Santa Cecilia Chapel; the structure, poignantly, was built by the mourning widower from wooden planks salvaged from a recent wreckage.
Boasting seaside appeal, an iron pier
and made self-sufficient by the salting house, as well as by a flour mill, bakery, blacksmith and other establishments, the community prospered. In his later years, Peralta Ramos promoted the hunt of the area's then-vast herds of sea lions
, which he termed "an inexhaustible source of wealth."
He died in Mar del Plata in 1887.
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
.
Life and times
Patricio Peralta Ramos was born in the San NicolásSan Nicolás, Buenos Aires
San Nicolás is one of the neighbourhoods of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, sharing most of the city and national government structure with neighboring Montserrat and home to much of Buenos Aires' financial sector...
section of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1814. His father, José de Peralta, was a high-ranking official of the Patricios Regiment. In 1860, he married a distant relative, Cecilia Ramos, with whom he had twelve children.
Peralta Ramos became a large clothing supplier to the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
during the 1829-52 regime of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, of whom Peralta Ramos became an official supporter in 1842. A wealthy man by the time of Rosas' overthrow at the 1852 Battle of Caseros
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros was fought near the town of Caseros, more precisely between the present-day train stations of Caseros and Palomar in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas...
, he traveled in 1860 to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
shore, where he purchased over 136,000 hectares (340,000 acres) from Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Consul José Coelho de Meyrelles, and a meat salting house.
His beef jerky
Jerky (food)
Jerky is lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and then been dried to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt, to prevent bacteria from developing on the meat before sufficient moisture has been removed. The word "jerky" is a bastardization of the...
facility struggling, Peralta Ramos embarked on the initial real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
developmet of his vast, scenic land. His enterprise met with the resistance of the gentry of Balcarce
Balcarce, Buenos Aires
-External links:...
(then the county seat), though in 1865, he obtained a favorable ruling for the shoreline development from the local Justice of Peace, Juan Peña. Seizing on a discrepancy between Peralta Ramos' holdings and what appeared in the official appraisal, Balcarce founder and Mayor José Chaves nearly forced his adversary to relocate his planned development on marshland, but an 1867 letter in Peralta Ramos' support by neighboring Mar Chiquita
Mar Chiquita
Mar Chiquita is a lagoon in the southeast province of Buenos Aires in eastern Argentina. It is located by the Atlantic coast, 30 km north of Mar del Plata.The area is a natural reserve where a number of species of animals live around the lagoon....
Judge José Bernal
José Bernal
José Bernal was a Cuban-American artist. He was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, in the former province of Las Villas and became a naturalized U.S.A. citizen in 1980....
to Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
official Nicolás Avellaneda
Nicolás Avellaneda
Nicolás Remigio Aurelio Avellaneda Silva was an Argentine politician and journalist, and president of Argentina from 1874 to 1880. Avellaneda's main projects while in office were banking and education reform, leading to Argentina's economic growth...
settled the dispute in Peralta Ramos' favor.
Advertising the development as Puerto de la Laguna de los Padres, the sale of lots was successful, and in 1873, Peralta Ramos petitioned the province for the seaside hamlet's incorporation, which was granted by Governor Mariano Acosta
Mariano Acosta
Mariano Acosta was an Argentine lawyer and politician.-Life and times:Acosta was born in 1825 to Magdalena Santa Coloma Lezica, the daughter of a prominent Buenos Aires Province landowner, and José Francisco Acosta, from Corrientes Province...
on February 10, 1874, as Puerto Balcarce. As this nomenclature was assigned over his objections, Peralta Ramos unofficially christened the community Mar del Plata (the "Silver Sea").
Boasting seaside appeal, an iron pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
and made self-sufficient by the salting house, as well as by a flour mill, bakery, blacksmith and other establishments, the community prospered. In his later years, Peralta Ramos promoted the hunt of the area's then-vast herds of sea lions
South American Sea Lion
The South American sea lion , also called the southern sea lion and the Patagonian sea lion, is a sea lion found on the Chilean, Peruvian, Uruguayan, Argentine and Southern Brazilian coasts. It is the only member of the genus Otaria...
, which he termed "an inexhaustible source of wealth."
He died in Mar del Plata in 1887.