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Origins of the district
The current name of the district comes from the “Mapuche” indigenous
tongue, MALAL-HUE meaning: place of rocky elevations or, place of
natural corrals. “Malal” is a small elevation which has, on one side
an abrupt fall. As they are located on the banks of rivers, they are
apt for enclosing different animals or cattle. “Hue” means place in
the natives’ language.
The first reference found of “malal-hue” is found in the times of
discovery and exploration of our lands when, in 1552, Don Francisco
de Villagra made the first expedition East of the Andes, possibly
looking for the City of the Caesar’s. He came to Malal-hue though…
Later on, in 1563, after the foundation of Mendoza, alarming news
about the native inhabitants populating the area started arriving.
From then onwards, numerous military and religious conversion
expeditions were organized. There were also other expeditions
undertaken by science men and simple adventurers willing to explore
the area.
A
fort called Malargue was erected in 1846 by Captain Don Juan
Troncoso. In 1847, border commander Juan Antonio Rodríguez informs
of the founding of Villa del Milagro between El Chacay Stream and
the Malargue River. It had then a white population of 120 men and
women.
Creation of the District 
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Malargue became a district when the Mendoza Government sent a law to
the Provincial Legislative Chamber and the law was passed 30 April
1877 |
At the time there were still very few permanent inhabitants in the
area and the natives had the hope of defending the land of their
ancestors by organizing attacks and killings through all the points
of the new provincial jurisdiction.
Five long years went by though before the law was put into place. It
was only 10 August 1882 when a decree by then Governor José Miguel
Segura signed a decree dividing Malargue in three sectors and named
the new authorities.
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A communiqué of 26 September 1882 signed by the Malargue
delegate, Martin Zapata and directed to the provincial
Government minister informs that a Police Station had been
formed on the 20th of the same month and the
personnel was already working there.
In 1886, during the Governorship of Rufino Ortega the
founding of the head village of Malargue took place by
decree dated 16 January 1886. |
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