Sampacho

Sampacho is a town located in the Río Cuarto department, south of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, 45 km southwest of the Río Cuarto departmental capital, at the crossroads of the RN 8 with the RP E-86.

It was founded on May 5, 1875 (148 years old).

History

Toponymy

Sampacho or Sampacha: It is popularly believed to be the contraction of the Quechua words 'sampa' or 'zampa' (loose - weak) and 'patja' or 'pacha' (time - place - earth), whose meaning is: 'earth that trembles', due to the continuous tremors that occurred in the area, which in turn produces the cracking of the ground. The original people of the area did not speak Quechua, so this name is still debatable. Another meaning could be that of loose or weak land, due to the dunes in constant movement.

Origin

The origin of the town dates back to 1785, when Rafael de Sobremonte, Infantry Colonel and Governor of Córdoba, in his desire to protect and give greater security to the routes that had been opened in the area, ordered the erection of the Fort San Fernando.
Disappeared in the middle of the 19th century, as a result of the invasion of the Ranqueles coming from the south, it was later rebuilt twice and The Government considered it essential to restore it and stabilize it with a population. The place was suitable for the founding of a town because it had a stream with an abundant flow, which moved through a fertile plain.

The lands were part of the Suco ranch, property of Ignacio Soria, and in the deeds there was a clause in which the owner made a donation, in the place of Sampacho, of an area of land one cannon shot away, that is, half a league in all directions (with free pasture for the settlers' estates) with the goal of founding a town.
Around 1795, Fort San Fernando de Sampacho, 'Zam-pacha' As it appears in the oldest documents, it had 73 people and a chapel dedicated to Santa María de Cabeza.

The arrival of the first settlers to this region took place on May 5, 1875. It was a group made up of 100 families of Italian origin, sent by the government with the aim of colonizing these lands. They were followed, years later, by the arrival of other contingents from Austria, France and Spain.

Earthquake in Sampacho of 1934

This town, in the southeast of the province of Córdoba (apparently non-seismic zone: not having the slightest traces of the "official seismic history" of the last thousands of years of activity, it turns out that all of Argentina is seismic"!), was partially destroyed on June 11, 1934, by a local earthquake that fortunately left no fatalities. But the psychological shock was added to the physical impact, due to the complete ignorance of the repetition of these historical natural phenomena.

And in 1955, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale occurred in Villa Giardino. Remember that the region is crossed by the "fault of the western front of the Sierras Chicas" extended from Villa Carlos Paz to Berrotarán and Elena (Córdoba); and its potential to generate earthquakes is unknown. In the region there is also the "Las Lagunas fault", close to Sampacho and which reaches Río Cuarto. The dedication to its patron saint, the Virgin of La Consolata, is attributed to the miracle of there being no victims from the 1934 earthquakes.

Population

It has 10,108 inhabitants (Indec, 2013), which represents an increase of 6% compared to the 7,238 inhabitants (Indec, 2001) of the previous census.

Sampacho demographic evolution in 1991-2010

Source of National Censuses of INDEC

Activities

The main activities of Sampacho and the area are agriculture, livestock and poultry farming.

Institutions

Educational Institutions

Sampacho has had official schools almost since its foundation since the first two schools began their work in 1896.

• Educational Center 'Periodista Remigio Lupo'

In 1896 the first two schools in the town were created: No. 1 for boys and No. 2 for girls, dependent on the National Council of Education. These schools changed their name in 1910 and were renamed National Schools No. 41 and No. 42, which were merged in 1939. The school did not have its own premises until 1962, at Lavalle 370. Since 1978 it has depended on the provincial State and in 1980 it received the new name: Journalist Remigio Lupo.

It is an Institution that offers the community a comprehensive and quality education, in a completely renovated environment.

• Centro Educativo San Martín

In March 1929, the creation of the Provincial School was decreed, with the initial enrollment of 72 students. The School began as a Third Category School, promoted to Second in 1934 and First in 1936.

• Primary school and institute 'La Consolata'

It was founded by three nuns on March 14, 1920, thus beginning its apostolic action in the town of Sampacho. From its beginnings it had a primary section and special classes in cutting and sewing, needlework, music and typing, taught by the nuns. In February 1964, the secondary section was inaugurated with the Teaching degree and in 1970 it was changed to the National Baccalaureate.

• Secundary Institute 'Pablo A. Pizzurno'

In 1954 by a group of residents of the headquarters of the 'Club Social Progreso' After analyzing the number of students leaving their primary classrooms and the increase in population, they took the initiative for Sampacho to have its Secondary School.

• IPET 389'

It was inaugurated on March 31, 2009. The secondary establishment with a technical-professional orientation in industrial production, has a covered area of 1,782 square meters, was built within the framework of the National 700 Schools Program, and consists of 5 classrooms, multipurpose room, computer rooms, management and administration, toilets, kitchen, storage room, canteen, multimedia resource center, student service box, cooperative, specialty workshop, sports area and patio.

• Our Lady of Lujan Special Education Institute

Sports institutions

• Club Atlético Sampacho

Founded on July 20, 1922. The main sport, with constant dedication, is football, but years ago it had an outstanding basketball team and on occasions it paid attention to tennis and for a few years it has been promoting the bochophile sport.

• Recreative Confraternity Club

Entity that recognizes its beginnings on January 30, 1932 due to the work of a group of neighbors who intended to establish a club that pursued the practice of soccer as its goal and the name chosen clearly denoted the values that its founders transmitted. With the profits from the sale of the soccer field in the mid-60s, the construction of the current headquarters began and later the headquarters and the bocce courts were built.

• Sport and Cultural Club

Founded on June 1, 1935 by a group of young people who joined forces to establish a new institution in Sampacho, whose main objectives were not only inclined towards sports, whose main sport is basketball, but also culturally.

• Sampacho Municipal Athletics Commission

The Commission emerged in 1996, promoting the practice of athletics, cycling and combined events.

• Asociación de Tiro, Pesca y Caza (A. TI. PE. CA. S.)

It was founded on October 7, 1964. Until now most of the activity has been channeled towards sport fishing, with the Suco Lagoon in charge. Laguna de Suco: a few km from Sampacho is the “Laguna de Suco”. The place of incredible beauty is like an oasis in the middle of a grove composed of pine trees, white carob trees, eucalyptus trees, which were planted by its former owners Don Pablo Mateo Jesús Segalá, etc.
With an aquatic ecosystem where cattails and reeds predominate, sport fishing for silversides, palometas, different varieties of carp and catfish is carried out in its waters.
A diversion canal whose end is located near Sampacho occasionally provides surplus water from the Quinto River.

The institution “A.TI.PE.CA.S”, (“Association of Shooting, Fishing and Hunting of Sampacho”), which is in charge of the place, had to reforest and provide infrastructure for members and tourists.

Also, near Sampacho there is a shooting range, where clay pigeon shooting competitions are held.

On a neighboring property there is a 9-hole golf course federated by the Argentine Golf Association. Tournaments are organized where local players and players from neighboring towns and cities participate.

• Sports Complex La Quinta

It was founded in 2008. This Complex plays tennis although it is also currently doing (5-a-side football, Soccer, tennis, ping pong). The complex also has a swimming pool that was completed in 2009.

Sampacho Spa

Due to its location, it is attractive and comfortable because it has bathrooms and a camping area, shade and tables with benches, all made of cement, where people eat delicious barbecue. It is well lit for use at night.

In the past it was built to collect water from the Sampacho stream (as if it were a dam) to fill the only irrigation truck that watered the dirt streets (later paved). Then it was decided to divert the stream that brought dirty water, it was filtered and a large pool was built as it is known now. In recent years, the pool has been filled with clean water from drilling an underground aquifer. That's why it is called “The Dam.” In the summer, people from the town and neighboring towns enjoy it and receive up to 2,000 to 3,000 people per weekend.

Parishes of the Catholic Church in Sampacho