La formación del Parque Evocativo y Museo "Los Libres del Sur" (Dolores, 1939-1942)

Abstract

El Parque Evocativo “Los Libres del Sur” de Dolores (provincia de Buenos Aires) fue inaugurado el 29 de octubre de 1939 con motivo del centenario de la “Revolución de los Libres de Sur”, como se denominó al levantamiento de los propietarios rurales y comerciantes contra Rosas en 1839. Un año después los festejos por un nuevo aniversario del acontecimiento se hicieron coincidir con la inauguración de un museo edificado dentro del parque destinado a recordar a los “héroes” del alzamiento, al gaucho y al indio. Disponiendo del archivo particular del historiador y publicista Enrique Udaondo - uno de los principales promotores del parque y museo- el objetivo general del trabajo es reconstruir el proceso de su gestación y puesta en funcionamiento. Para ello consideramos el papel desempeñado por los coleccionistas locales, los comerciantes, los conflictos y oportunidades de la coyuntura política y las complejas relaciones entre funcionarios, historiadores, aficionados a la historia e integrantes de una variedad de asociaciones que interactuaban con mayor o menor grado de formalidad en el tejido social. También las relaciones entre tradiciones historiográficas e intereses del estado por instalar una pedagogía patriótica mediante la proliferación de lugares evocativos. The evocative park “Los Libres del Sur” in Dolores (in the province of Buenos Aires) was inaugurated on October 29th, 1939 on the occasion of the centenary of the “Revolución de los Libres del Sur”, as the uprising of rural landowners and merchants against Rosas in 1839 was called. A year later, the celebration of a new anniversary of this event coincided with the inauguration of a museum built inside the park assigned to commemorate the heroes of the uprising: the gaucho and the Indian. Having at our disposal the private archive of historian and publicist Enrique Udaondo – one of the main promoters of the park and the museum- we have written this paper with the general objective to reconstruct the process of the gestation and the beginning of this museum. To achieve such a goal, we will analyse the role played by local collectors and merchants; the conflicts and opportunities in the political situation; and the complex relationships between government officials, historians, History enthusiasts and members of a variety of associations which interacted with greater or lesser formality in the social fabric. We will also explore the relationship between historiographical traditions and the government interests to establish a patriotic pedagogy through the proliferation of evocative places.

The evocative park “Los Libres del Sur” in Dolores (in the province of Buenos Aires) was inaugurated on October 29th, 1939 on the occasion of the centenary of the “Revolución de los Libres del Sur”, as the uprising of rural landowners and merchants against Rosas in 1839 was called. A year later, the celebration of a new anniversary of this event coincided with the inauguration of a museum built inside the park assigned to commemorate the heroes of the uprising: the gaucho and the Indian. Having at our disposal the private archive of historian and publicist Enrique Udaondo – one of the main promoters of the park and the museum- we have written this paper with the general objective to reconstruct the process of the gestation and the beginning of this museum. To achieve such a goal, we will analyse the role played by local collectors and merchants; the conflicts and opportunities in the political situation; and the complex relationships between government officials, historians, History enthusiasts and members of a variety of associations which interacted with greater or lesser formality in the social fabric. We will also explore the relationship between historiographical traditions and the government interests to establish a patriotic pedagogy through the proliferation of evocative places.