Parque San Martín is a city located in Merlo Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Parque San Martín was founded around 1948 by real estate promoters, in the estates belonging to the Etcheverry family. Like many others places in Argentina, the city was named after the Argentine independence hero General José de San Martín. The city status was conferred by the provincial legislature of Buenos Aires on December 4, 1975.
History
Also see: Merlo History
The actual territory of Parque San Martín remained as pastoral land until 1948. In the XVII and XVIII centuries the land was part of a Jesuit Estancia and after the suppression of the Order it was confiscated as public land. The land was leased to different private investors and by the midd 19th century it was bought by Juan Wyatt Smith who established one of the finest farms in Buenos Aires. By the turn of the century the estancia was sold to Roberto Cano who built a petit French-like mansion in its estates, still stood as a neighborhood landmark. The building is known as Palacio Cano (Cano House) as well as the Casco de Estancia de los Etcheverry (the Etcheverry Family Ranch House) after the last owners of the estancia.
Demographics
According to the 1991 census [INDEC], the population was 89,073 people, and although the 2001 census results are not available, it could be around 100,000. The majority of the population belong to the lower middle and working classes and the district suffers from high rates of poverty and unemployment.
Sports
The city is the home of the football club entitled Deportivo Merlo.
