History

Stipicic Brothers

From 1898, when they arrived from Austria, Mr. Jose and Jeronimo Stipicic had developed a really extraordinary activity from which they got a position in those years and won a good reputation among the inhabitants of the place. The general opinion characterized them as very hard working persons, without excluding some other moral qualities attributed to them, which constitute the prominent feature of their personalities.

The Stipicic managed multiple businesses and put in their management all the excitement of their strong and almost juvenile spirit. Installed in the administration of those interests an inflexible rectitude and honesty at all costs, the credit should not be surprising that their firm was in the square and the respect with which it welcomed all initiatives.

When Jose and Jeronimo arrived at la Patagonia, they became farm workers for some years, activity that they quitted when they decided to look for gold in the very well known gold fields of Cabo Virgenes.

In 1911 the Stipicic brothers inhabited "Alta Vista" ranch. In 1913, they acquiered "Cerro Buenos Aires" and later on they had interference in "La Jeronima", whose first inhabitant was Arturo Fenton, son of an old doctor who was one of the first neighbors in Rio Gallegos. It is good to remember that the Stipicic brothers wished to inhabit Dr. Mateo Bencur founding "Quien sabe".

The Stipicic, Bencur, Trutanic and Peso formed the Austriac group that had the task of populating Lago Argentino. After them the Sesnics, Pejcovics, Kuzmanics, etc. arrived.

During 1921, the disputes between the strikers and the ranchers aroused, Mr. Jose Stipicic was taken as hostage together with one of his three sons when they were arriving at Estancia Anita. – main aim of the dispute- a group of farm workers who were the head of the resistance, blocked the car- they were commanded by Antonio “el gallego” Soto- fighting for better working conditions. Once they were released, they had to pay the army to protect them. The payment was done in red fox furs, animal that abound in the area.

Jose Stipicic and Ladoux and Cia owners of "Cerro Buenos Aires" Ranch (1913)

This ranch is situated on the side of Lago Argentino in a place named Punta Banderas. It is a very charming place; it seems that nature has placed a treasure there. The lake, the snowed hills, cascades coming from the mountains, the green color of the grass carpeting the wavy ground, forest species surrounding the place and offering their shadows, and sheltering the place against the hurricane winds from the mountain chain, everything s there make this place more beautiful and attractive. The countryside surrounded by the mountain chain, mainly those situated near Lago Argentino had excellent conditions for cattle breeding, the humidity of the soil and the shelter given by the mountains allows the growing of vast vegetation impossible to find on the plateau. The grass is ideal to graze animals and the watercourses make this area an excellent place for cattle breeding and the quality of the animals is superior to the ones near the coast.

The countryside of Lago Argentino may result dangerous because of the snow, but it offers so many advantages that widely compensate this inconvenient. As the place is quite far away from the ports the operating costs are more expensive and this was another objection that people used to make.

"Cerro Buenos Aires" had an extension of fifteen leagues that for industrial purposes it had been divided into fifteen plots for grazing. It is important to highlight that the farm work carried out in places near the mountain chain are pretty tough because of the ground shape and the hills around it, circumstances that require a double watch over livestock. Therefore, more workers were demanded, the land must be split into more plots and the necessary budget to fence in was bigger. "Buenos Aires" had spent more than 120,000 meters of wire. Grazing in the fields of "Cerro Buenos Aires" more than 25,000 sheep across Romney Marsh, producing wool of excellent type, very popular in the market at that time. There were also 100 oxen meek, 120 wild, 80 horses and 50 mares tame.

The administration house of the place was small but very comfortable. The twenty agricultural workers had the kitchen, bedrooms and dining room there. The old shed used for shearing the sheep was demolished and the building of a new one was required during the summer.

Historical Scenary

Santa Cruz is the southeast province of Argentina continental. It has 240.000 kilometers. It is not completely useful for farming especially if it is compared with the region of La Plata. The economic development started in the 80’s with the establishments of ranches devoted to sheep farming. As the wool had a high economic value, the process to settle down in the area increased soon in the same way it happened in the neighboring area of Estrecho de Magallanes (Chile).

During the year 1924 when «La Patagonia Argentina» was published, this process had been consolidated and almost all the land from the Atlantico to the Cordillera de los Andes was occupied. The first inhabitants put a lot in risk due to the climate and the general conditions of the place, but they were proud of what they obtained.

The Power Station

The power station with an engine specially brought from Europe was created in the year 1946. It was installed at the edge of the Rio Mitre within the natural reserve called La Manga as it was where the sheep waited to be sheared; this place was part of the ranch. Due to the sheep farming and the cutting down of trees, the power station was built with the intention to supply Cerro Buenos Aires Ranch with energy. The autochthonous trees of the region were the beech among other species. It is believed that they were the first to bring pines from Europe.

Once the power station was installed, it was not longer profitable, therefore the Stipicic brothers decided to change to lamb farming whose meet was sold in the town and region. Soon the place was the best for the pasturing of the patagonic lamb.

The gastronomic undertaking of this place started in 1999. In November 2006, the management of the business was taken by Valle Mitre with the aim to preserve the natural area that is part of the Peninsula de Magallanes Reservation. We are witnesses of the happiness that the visitors who come to this magic Patagonic place feel.

Mr Jose Stipicic

He was a hardworking and tenacious man. His optimism and activity made this vast and so far away area of Lago Argentino a prosperous place for stockbreeding.

Source: Book "La Patagonia Argentina" (1924)