Navigation through the fueguine archipelago, between its bays and coves, exploring its incredible geography, is an adventure that has always seduced intrepid sailors.
They left here their memories of wind and shipwrecks…

DISCOVERY OF THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN

Between the XVI and XVIII Centuries these southern lands were the scenario of continuous arrivals and departures of European expeditions that attempted to find new routes and territories to facilitate the existing exchange routes and extend the supremacy of the kingdoms they represented.

One of the pioneers of these journeys was Fernando de Magallanes, Portuguese navigator, who sailed from Spain in 1519, motivated by the "Terra Australis Incognita" myth. The mission entrusted by the then King of Spain, Charles I - to whom Magellan offer his services after a strong argument with the King of Portugal - consisted of the discovery of a maritime pass to reach the Moluccan Islands, in the South Pacific. By then, Spain and Portugal disputed the possession of those lands that were rich in species.

After a year of a journey full of hardships, between October 21 and November 28, 1520, Magellan and five Spanish caravels under his command, crossed the inter oceanic pass , that he baptized as "Strait of All Saints" and that today we call "Strait of Magellan" in his honor.

Before passing the cape that they baptized "Cape of the eleven thousand virgins" (presently Cape Vírgenes"), they had already discovered smoke on the south bank of the strait, most likely from aboriginal settlements, what inspired Magellan to baptize the region "Land of fires", in Spanish "Tierra del Fuego".

The expedition continued through the strait towards the west, until reaching the open sea.
Curiously, the sea was calm on that occasion, and this was the reason why the Pacific Ocean received its name.

Magellan's history would end shortly thereafter, after a battle with natives while trying to colonize an island in the Philippines. The expedition would continue under the command of Sabastián Elcano, who took the news to Spain about the findings.

In addition to opening a new route towards the east, the trip meant increased expectations about the conquest of new territories.

FIRST EUROPEAN EXPEDITIONS

The expeditions that followed Magellan's trip pursued similar objectives: to reach the Moluccan Islands and the colonization of the discovered lands.

During several decades, all attempts to cross the Strait failed until Captain Juan Ladrillero, arrives to the area in mid XVI Century, and crosses it from west to east, carrying out an important exploratory mission, giving names and describing the scenery and its inhabitants.

In those times, several Spanish ports in Chile, Peru and other northern settlements, were under attack by pirates who started to use the southern channels as a way of escape. Sir Francis Drake was among these fearsome pirates, and in 1578 he became the first "foreign" (non-Spanish) navigator to cross the Strait of Magellan, to continue his trip around the world.
When he was in the Pacific Ocean, a storm sheered him off to the south where he could prove that the American continent was separated from the Antarctica. This meant the end of the "Terra Australis Incognita" myth. Contrary to popular belief, Drake never cross the strait that carries his name, he did not even get close to Cape Horn, but he sheered off to the north.

In addition to the pirate menace, the British fleets advanced taking positions and establishing colonies around the globe. For this reason the Spanish crown decided to colonize the "Land of Fires" by establishing settlements on the banks of the Strait of Magellan. In 1584, the expedition under the command of Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founded the villages "In the name of Jesus" and "Rey Don Felipe" (near Fort Bulnes, south of the present city of Punta Arenas). This initiative did not prosper due to the lack of food, violent storms and the ignorance of the characteristics of the environment that wiped out the population shortly after being established. This failure kept the Spaniards away for almost four decades.

A short time later, Dutch expeditions began to appear more frequently, of which the most transcendent one was under the command of Jacob Le Maire y William Schouten. Unlike their predecessors, they did not cross the Strait, but they continued navigating to the south. On January 21st. 1616, they spotted an island they baptized "of the States" honoring their country (Staten Land) at that time and the strait dividing it from Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego, that was named Le Maire. The journey continued towards the southwest in search of new seas, naming minor geographical features as they went, until they reached the southernmost point of the continent which they named "Cape Hoorn", in honor of the city that saw them sail off from and one of the ships of the expedition, until then inexistent.

In 1619, two vessels, "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" and "Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso" under the command of the brothers Gonzalo and Bartolomé García del Nodal, arrived at the southern tip of the continent after long years of absence. This expedition was significant because it was the first one to navigate the Atlantic coast from Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego - giving names systematically to every geographical featured encountered - and the first one to circumnavigate - The archives also show that they were the first group to establish contact with the natives.

At the beginning of the XVIII century, the existence of an insular portion in the southern tip of the American continent and the existence of native inhabitants was publicly known in Europe.

France, Britain and Holland were protagonists in the history of navigation in Tierra del Fuego. Guided by cartography elaborated with increased precision thanks to the discoveries by Magellan, Le Maire and the Nodal brothers, among others, they explored, discovered and named innumerable geographical features of the archipelago.

As knowledge about these lands increased, expeditions became more of a scientific character, and leading to longer stays on land. This led to more frequent contacts with the natives and finally the manifestation of the first attempts of colonization.

One of the most outstanding explorers of that century was James Cook from Britain, who made several trips to the area. In 1769, aboard the ship Endeavour, he was accompanied by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, scientists that carried out surveys and gathered valuable information about the geography of the oriental side of Isla Grande, and about the natives that inhabited it.

Cook's second trip was probably the most important, since it had the objective to unveil the Antarctic mystery. He reached the Georgian Islands and discovered the South Sandwich Islands, leaving behind many of the place-names of Isla de los Estados.

The information gathered during those trips about the riches of the region prompted an intense traffic of whaling ships and sea wolf hunters that would continue until the beginning of the XX Century, putting at risk the survival of many of the species of the marine fauna.

DISCOVERY OF THE BEAGLE CHANNEL

In 1826 an English expedition consisting of two brigs "Beagle" and "Adventure", under the command of captains Robert Fitz Roy and Philip Parker King, respectively, arrived to the area. They came with the purpose of making a hydrographic survey of the coastal area and evaluate the possibility of establishing relations with the aborigines. A member of the crew, boatswain Mathew Murray, discovered the pass that carries his name and the channel that they would later baptize as "Beagle" honoring the ship commanded by Fitz Roy.
The contact with natives was progressive, and started through barter of natural products (fish, skins, grease) in exchange of buttons, beads and other elements of little value in the European market. After a confused episode during one of these exchanges, Captain Fitz Roy took four aborigines hostage and took them to England, with the purpose of introducing them to the English culture, speculating with the possibility of using them as interpreters in future trips. In spite of achieving excellent results in England, Fitz Roy´s purpose was frustrated, since on their return to the islands the three surviving aborigines adopted again the customs of their culture. During this and other expeditions - that would again include Fitz Roy and other outstanding personalities as Charles Darwin and James Weddel - the exploration of the riches of the territory continued, through surveys and scientific research. At the same time, the idea of the possibility of exploitation and settlement gathered strength. This objective had only met with failed attempts in the past.

SOME ATTEMPTS TOWARDS COLONIZATION

In the year 1844, the retired captain Allen Gardiner of the British Navy, founded with other Anglicans the "Missionary Society of Patagonia", that would later change its name to a more ambitious "Missionary Society of South America". This enterprise had the purpose of collecting funds to send missions preaching the Gospel among the aborigines.

A year earlier, Gardiner had visited the area of the Strait of Magellan where he established positive contacts with some natives, however, when he returned earlier, he already found the influence of white men and decided to venture towards territories further south.

His first attempt was on the Picton Island, in the year 1848, and he did not succeed due to hostile reactions on the part of the aborigines.

Two years later he returned to the fueguine channels, this time he had the idea of establishing a type of "floating mission". In spite of his efforts to raise funds for the construction of adequate ships, he only obtained two heavy vessels.

Again in Picton, his relationship with the natives became unbearable. The situation worsened when two ships intended for the supply of Europeans were lost, one to a mutiny and the other one shipwrecked.

Finally, Gardiner and his six companions decided to abandon the place, and after leaving a message requesting help in Picton Island, they moved to Bahía Aguirre in the Mitre Peninsula. After several months on the coast, resisting the inclement weather and the lack of food, the missionaries perished one by one. It is assumed that the last survivor was Gardiner himself, who recorded the events in his diary, later found with the remains of the expedition.

SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS

The "Cape Horn Scientific Expedition" arrived in Tierra del Fuego in September of 1882, with captain Luis Fernando Martial in command of the vessel "La Romanche". This French expedition - also identified with the name of the ship - had objectives that were exclusively scientific and left valuable results after many years of work.

The initiative took place after a series of conferences organized in Europe in 1879, when several countries agreed on the creation of scientific stations that would develop simultaneously in key points of the polar regions. Of 14 places selected, 12 were in the Artic Ocean and only 2 close to the South Pole.

As a result, a modest settlement was built in Bahía Orange (Hoste Island), where a dozen researchers remained during three years including Martial and Dr. Hyades.

During this long stay - in addition to visits to the archipelagos nearby to study meteorology and earth magnetism, astrology, zoology, botany, and geology - the scientists established a close relationship with the Yámana.
Initially, this relationship started with the exchange of various products as it happened with other navigators that had visited the region. But the long stay of the crew, resulted in cooperation on the part of the Yámana in numerous activities, useful to the goals of the anthropological research. This was favored, in part, by the experience of the Anglican missionaries that were in Ooshooia (a few miles away) working with natives for a number of years who quickly established a relationship with the crew of La Romanche.

The results of the expedition were highly positive. On his return to France, the scientists took a great variety of samples and information that had added great value to the knowledge of the natural systems in this sector of the globe.

THE ARGENTINE PRESENCE

The argentine presence was threatened by the wave of European expeditions that frequently visited the archipelago and also by possible intentions of expansion on the part of the Republic of Chile.

According to the friendship agreement, signed in 1855, both countries recognized as their own, the same territories that possessed at the moment of independence from the Spanish crown, in 1810.

However, in the face of certain omissions or overlaps in the Spanish titles, both countries continued their expansionist policies. Chile founded the city of Punta Arenas and, between 1859 and 1862, the argentine commander Luis Piedrabuena arrived at the Pavón Island and the Isla de los Estados. They established the only white settlements in the region until de installation of the Anglican Mission in 1869.

Since the 1840´s, Piedrabuena had navigated the southern seas, hunting sea wolves in the Patagonian coasts. He installed in Isla de los Estados a factory for processing penguins.

His role as "defender of national sovereignty" emerged by chance from the start: while being in the region, he had to rescue castaways on a number of occasions and also collaborated in the installation of shelters and supply posts. With each one of these acts, national sovereignty and territorial defense were vindicated.

It was only in April 1878 that he began to act in an official capacity, as an advisor to the government in important matters related to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. He carried out countless expeditions. He was also involved in planning the Expeditionary Division to the South Atlantic, but he could not participate due to his sudden death, one year before the scheduled departure.

The main objective of the Expeditionary Division to the South Atlantic was the installation of a sub-prefecture in the proximity to the site known today as the city of Ushuaia. The Argentine government was pleased to see the possibility of establishing a vigilance and rescue post to assist with any inconvenience that might arise with the vessels arriving to the region. Given the physical features and the meteorological conditions of the area, the need for assistance and repair of vessels presented itself quite frequently. These activities, carried out in an organized way with official regulation, could result in an important source of revenue for the national government. On the other hand, the proximity to the Chilean border and the existence of a foreign religious mission infused certain degree of preoccupation to Congress. The establishment of a naval sub-prefecture would be an ideal strategy to consolidate sovereignty in the territory.

On the 25th of May, 1884, a few months before sailing deeper into the Beagle Channel, the expedition under the command of Navy Commodore Augusto Lasserre, created a sub-prefecture at the Mount Richardson base, in Isla de los Estados, and inaugurated the San Juan del Salvamento Lighthouse in the port of the same name.

On the 28th of September of 1884, the fleet (consisting of the corvette gunship Paraná, and the dispatch boats Comodoro Py and Transporte Villarino and cutters Patagones and Bahía Blanca) finally arrived to the Ushuaia Bay. Here, the expedition was cordially received by the missionaries, specially by Reverend Thomas Bridges that advised Lasserre about the optimum place for the installation of the sub-prefecture.
The chosen site was a bay that the Yámana called "Alakushwaia" (Flying steamer duck Bay) or "Bahía del pato vapor", located about 2 km to the east of the religious mission. The 12th of October of that year, the first buildings of the Ushuaia Naval Sub-Prefecture were inaugurated.

Since then, the birthday of the city of Ushuaia is celebrated every 12th of October. Although it wasn't until the next year, when the political division of the territory was established and the construction of the town began, which had Navy Captain Felix María Paz as its first governor.

In 1871, the Anglican Mission is definitely installed, with Reverend Thomas Bridges in charge.

In September 1884, the Expeditionary Division to the South Atlantic of the Argentine Navy, under the command of Commodore Augusto Lasserre, arrives in Ushuaia, from the Isla de los Estados where they had installed a sub-prefecture and the San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse that would be known later as Lighthouse at the End of the World. With the purpose of consolidating Argentine sovereignty in that area, only 20 km from the Chilean border, the 12th of October of 1884, the Argentine Naval Sub-Prefecture was inaugurated, and for the first time the argentine flag was flying on an argentine institution in the island. Each year, on the same date, the birth of our city is commemorated.

However, the National Government had one preoccupation: to achieve the definite settlement of the population on this soil. The argentine government built a prison complex in the fueguine archipelago. At the beginning, a Military Prison was installed in the Isla de los Estados, and a prison for repeat offenders in Bahía Golondrina outside Ushuaia. At the same time, in 1902, the foundation stone of the building, that can be seen today, was laid, and housed common and military prisoners and - on some occasion - political prisoners, unifying the two previous institutions. The Military Prison and the Prison for Repeat Offenders was the axis for development of the city during the first half of the XX Century. Its print shops, photography labs, tailors, carpentry, bakeries, medical service and pharmacies, cover the needs of a town so remote from everywhere, because ships arrived in the best of cases, once a month.

At the beginning of the century, the small town was pleased to see the arrival of some families of Croatian origin. The real reason of this arrival was related to the exodus of Croatians to Punta Arenas, and then they migrated to Argentina. In 1913 some families sailed from Spain with the failed purpose of installing a complete factory for canning sardines. In the face of the failure of the company, some Spaniards return to the old continent, while others found motives to stay.

In 1928, the first flight arrives in Ushuaia: Gunther Plüschow, and his hydroplane "Cóndor de Plata" revolutionized this quiet town.
However, the maritime transport continued to be the only means of transportation with the rest of the world, until the end of 1935.

During those years, navigation around these archipelagos was a very difficult endeavor, and the numerous shipwrecks were an important part of the history of the region. In 1930, the ship "Monte Cervantes" of German origin sank coming out of Ushuaia Bay, with a number of passengers that equaled the local population at that time. The survivors were rescued and housed during six days in the few homes that then existed in Ushuaia. A new boat arrived and took those passengers to Buenos Aires.

In 1947, the Government decided to close down the prison and the installations were transferred to the Ministry of the Navy. The same year, with the creation of the AeroNaval Station of Ushuaia, aeronaval lines that supply Patagonian bases were inaugurated, and the airline Aeroposta began regular flights.

Life in the small town of Ushuaia finds itself renewed with the arrival in 1948 of an immigrant ship: the "Génova", bringing a contingent of Italians with the purpose of building houses. Many of them left the place once the construction had finished, others preferred to stay. Chilean families begin to arrive and they settled in the city. With time, these immigrants were conforming the group of pioneers called today "old inhabitants".

In 1950, the Almirante Berisso Ushuaia Naval Base is created, and still functions today in the San Martín and Yaganes streets.

The decade of the 70' marks a new stage in the history of the city, with sanction of the Industrial Promotion Act (Nº 19.640). Many Argentineans arrive attracted by the possibilities of work and savings.

In 1990, the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and Islands of South Atlantic is born, when the Nation's Congress passes the Provincialization Act (Nº 23.775).

The 1st of June of the following year the Provincial Constitution is enacted. Since then, Province day is commemorated on this date.

Since its origins until today, Ushuaia has seen the growth of its population through the arrival of immigrants from different regions of Argentina and the world. This has given the city its cultural richness and variety.