Las Lajas, Neuquén
Las Lajas ("The Flagstones") is a town in Neuquén Province, Argentina, and the capital of Picunches Department. The town, at an altitude of 900 metres (3,000 ft) above mean sea level, is located on the right shore of Agrio River at the Andean foothills. National Routes 22 and 40 intersect in this area of the central Neuquén Province. The Cuchillo Curá range, considered the most important underground ecosystem in Argentina, extends approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Las Lajas.
Before the Araucanization of Patagonia, Las Lajas was originally populated by Pehuenche and Picunche natives. In 1788, the first expedition into the territory, under the command Francisco Esquivel y Aldao, reached Las Lajas. In 1882, commander Ortega established a fort for the Argentinian Army. The town was established on 8 February 1897, by General Enrique Godoy, the Argentinian Army's 4th Division commander. To take possession of the region and protect the inhabitants from the natives, the town became the headquarters of the 8th and 9th Cavalry Regiments. It was named "Las Lajas" after the creek Las Lajitas, whose bed soil is mainly composed of the stones. Governor Alsina and the inhabitants of the town requested to move the National Territory's capital from Chos Malal to Las Lajas. The capital was ultimately moved to Neuquén city in 1902. The town received its current status of second-category municipality in 1967.
