In the mid-19th century, much of Antioquia was still a forested region that kept Medellín isolated from the southwestern part of the country. The dense vegetation, the imposing Western Mountain Range, and the Cauca and San Juan rivers were natural barriers that hindered communication and the growth of new towns.
The territorial expansion began with the migration of peasants from eastern Antioquia, as well as families from Envigado and Medellín, who undertook an arduous journey to the southwest. Poor settlers and merchants took part in this process; they were granted land as compensation for clearing roads in the region.
From the banks of the Cauca River, these migrants made their way up through the Cordillera Occidental, establishing communities that would eventually become iconic towns. Their entrepreneurial spirit led not only to the founding of new rural settlements but also to the development of trade and agriculture in these hard-to-reach territories.
