History
The urgency to define short routes to transport products from Colonia Sarmiento and bring them to that village created the necessity of a port in the area of Golfo San Jorge. This necessity made possible the foundation of Comodoro Rivadavia, today capital of petroleoum in Argentina.
The first governor of Gobernación Nacional del Chubut was Colonel Luis Fontana, who travelled around the whole extension attributed to Chubut commanding a numerous group of Welsh immigrants in 1885.
American researcher Junius Bird and Finnish V. Aurer respectively confirmed the existence of a Tehuelche prototype who lived in the sands of Rada Tilly some 9000 years ago. This information was confirmed by Father Brea, who some years ago contributed to this theory with the discovery of utensiles and human remains near Rada Tilly.
It is widely known that the Tehuelche who came from the north of Patagonia during warm summer days used to make a halt where Rada Tilly is today. An English marine called Fitz Roy was the first to mention its existence in a navigation chart.
On 11th March 1889 Francisco Pietrobelli, accompanied by theTehuelche Sainajo and Pereira, came to Rada Tilly following Fitz Roy's navigation charts in search of an anchoring place to set up a deep water port where deep draft ships could stop to supply the flourishing Colonia Sarmiento.
In March 1891 Captain Martín Rivadavia was the first Argentine marine who anchored his corvette in Rada Tilly, while he was recognizing the area to control the displacement of the Chilean Army in the Argentine south.
The village was named after the Spanish marine Francisco Everardo Tilly y Paredes, who during 1794 and 1795 gave combat and defeated the Portuguese army in the river Plate. However, reality indicates that it was the Spanish marine Juan de la Concha who anchored in Rada Tilly in command of a brig.
The beach village Rada Tilly was founded on 24th July 1948, and today has approximately 3450 inhabitants.
Before that, in 1890, the corvette "La Argentina" commanded by Commodore Martín Rivadavia arrived near mount Chenque in an exploring mission and settled an anchorage place called Kilometro 5, Caleta Córdoba or Punta Borjas.
On 26th June, Pietrobelli completed the construction of the first storage shed in the place indicated years before by a Molle trunk, and on 23rd February 1901 by decree of the national government gave to this village the name Comodoro Rivadavia in homage to the ilustrious marine, grandson of the great statesman Bernardino Rivadavia.
The oil exploitation, initiated by chance in 1907, gave to Comodoro Rivadavia a vertiginous growing rythm.
By the end of 1919, most of the 1719 workers were given accomodation in small metal sheet houses without any heating or electric light with temperatures below zero and winds near 100 km./h.
The creation of Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales in 1922 completed and emphasized the development of the town, and by the end of the 50s, the government promoted an oil campaign and fostered the installation of numerous foreign companies.
The city evolved around this and even today when this panorama has changed substantially, it is still called National Oil Capital.
Some of its governors were:
Gral. Angel Solari: (31-05-44 to 15-11-45)
Gral. Armando S. Raggio: (16-11-45tol 31-12-48)
Gral. Julio Alberto Lagos: (31-12-48 to 23-06-50)
Gral. Salvador M. Muller: (23-06-50 to 14-11-51)
Gral. Fernando J. Carlés: (14-11-51 to 14-04-53)
Gral. Italo H. Dell'Oro: (08-05-53 to 25-07-55)
Today Comodoro Rivadavia with its 130.000 inhabitants is the most active city in all of Patagonia, south of the river Negro, even when it is not capital of the province.
The central area is situated at the foot of mount Chenque, with a height of 212 m. In this place you can enjoy a panoramic view of neighbourhoods placed in deep canyons protected from the wind, the sea kissing the coast, and as a visual limit, to the north, the peak of mount Salamanca, 575 m. high, with a perfect conical silouette.
The different levels and the splendid sea views will call your attention, since the coast combines fine sandy beaches and gravel shores protected by 60m. cliffs on bays and coves.
If you visit Comodoro in summer you can enjoy beaches and fishing, since winds are scarce and temperate at that time of year.
If you travel around the area you will appreciate not only the oil pumps, but also the wind mills used as a non conventional resource to produce energy.
Winter is mild, with occassional snowfalls, and summer is a good time to enjoy beaches, since west winds are dry but moderate.
The city climate is arid. Maximum average temperature in January, February and March is 24ºC, and minimal average is 12,4ºC. During June, July and August, the maximum average is 11,3ºC, and the minimum is 3,4ºC.