Arroyito (Spanish pronunciation: [aroˈʝito]) is a city in Córdoba Province, Argentina. It is located 115 km (71 mi) east of Córdoba, on both sides of National Route 19. Arroyito earned the nickname Sweet City (Ciudad Dulce).

Arroyito
Nickname: 
Sweet City
Arroyito is located in Córdoba Province
Arroyito
Arroyito
Location of Arroyito in Argentina
Arroyito is located in Argentina
Arroyito
Arroyito
Arroyito (Argentina)
Coordinates: 31°25′S 63°3′W / 31.417°S 63.050°W / -31.417; -63.050
Country Argentina
Province Córdoba
DepartmentSan Justo
Government
 • MayorGustavo Ariel Benedetti
Area
 • Total20 km2 (8 sq mi)
Elevation
155.7 m (510.8 ft)
Population
 (2010 census)
 • Total22,726
 • Density1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Demonymarroyitense
Time zoneUTC−3 (ART)
CPA base
X2434
Dialing code+54 3576
Websitewww.municipioarroyito.gob.ar (in Spanish)

Etymology edit

Arroyito can be translated as "little stream", or "little brook". It was named after a stream (now disappeared) that crossed this settlement and landed on the Xanaes river.[1] The first records referred to this settlement as paraje del Arroyito or El Arroyito.

History edit

Early settlement edit

It is not clear when Arroyito was founded. The oldest document that mentions it was the first census of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata on 23 November 1778, with a resulting population of 220 inhabitants.[1] This hamlet was known as Villa Arroyito, and was the place chosen by the Spanish soldier José Ignacio Urquía to build a church dedicated to the Virgin of Mercy, completed in 1790.

In 1865, the total population for Arroyito was 228 inhabitants, according to the first census in Argentina.[2]

Economy edit

The first main economic activity of Arroyito was forrest-spacing. Baldassare Dalle Mura and Raffaello Bianchi, both Italian immigrants from Tuscany, were the owners of the two most important sawmills of that time. As the land emptied, other people used it for agriculture. But the Great Depression directly attacked the raw material that sustained the sawmills, so they had to close, giving rise to emigration and decline.

 
Front view of the first Arcor factory, in 1958.

In the early 1950s, a group of young entrepreneurs led by Fulvio Salvador Pagani decided to come together to set up a candy factory. The dream was to offer consumers around the world quality products at a fair price became true on 5 July 1951 with the opening of the first candy factory.[3] This is how Arcor was born, and Arroyito began a definitive new awakening, so the workforce was necessary, causing a very notable population increase.

Twin towns edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Historia de Arroyito" (in Spanish). Municipio de Arroyito.
  2. ^ "Primer Censo Nacional, 1869 : San Justo (Departamento), Córdoba" (in Spanish). FamilySearch.
  3. ^ "Arcor Group's History". Arcor.
  4. ^ "Verzuolo 29 e 30 Aprile rinnovo gemellaggio con argentini" (in Italian). Comune di Verzuolo. 12 April 2016.

External links edit