Astra, Chubut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Astra (Argentina)
Town
Country	Argentina
Province	Chubut Province
Department	Escalante Department
Municipio	Comodoro Rivadavia
Time zone	UTC−3 (ART)

Astra is a town in Chubut Province in southern Argentina. It is also part of the larger city and area called Comodoro Rivadavia.

History

The story of Astra began in 1912. It started as a camp for exploring oil.

Early Days and Oil Discovery

A company called Astra Argentina Oil Trade Union set up this camp. They were looking for oil on land owned by the Du Plessis family. On December 12, 1912, the first baby was born in Astra. Her name was Marta Eggeling. She was born in a simple shelter made of tin and canvas.

Astra truly grew after December 15, 1916, when they successfully found oil. The oil company quickly built a camp, and it soon became an organized town. At its busiest, the town had over 1,500 workers. Many of these workers were immigrants who lived in special housing called gamelas. The company built homes and even a park for its workers.

Growth and Development

In 1918, a brick factory started working in Astra. It made many bricks each month. These bricks were used to build many interesting buildings in the area, like those in Diadema Argentina. In Astra itself, bricks were used for the town's power plant, some staff houses, the police station, workshops, and a party hall with a restaurant.

Astra built its own school in 1922. This meant children living there did not have to travel far for their education.

The brick factory, the oil company, and the train station were very important in 1925. They helped build the San Jorge Lighthouse. The company also built an oil refinery that started in 1926. By the end of 1927, people could buy gasoline from Astra. Sadly, this refinery was later destroyed by a fire.

Decline and Changes

Astra's oil activity was at its peak around 1958. A report from the state railway said the town had about 1,500 people. However, Astra's growth slowed down and began to decline in the 1960s. This happened when the oil company changed owners. Many workers moved to the city because they lost their jobs or felt unsure about the future.

In the 1970s, Astra and other oil camps became part of the Comodoro Rivadavia municipality. This meant the city government took over managing services in these areas. Astra became one of Comodoro's districts. Another big change that led to fewer people living in Astra was the closing of its train station and the entire Comodoro Rivadavia Railroad in 1979.

Recent History

In the 1980s, Astra joined other northern neighborhoods in an attempt to become a separate municipality, but this effort did not succeed. In 1987, the Paleontological Museum of Astra was built near National Route 3, thanks to help from the YPF oil company.

On December 15, 2012, Astra celebrated its 100th birthday. A special event was held at the site of the first oil well. City officials and many families who had ties to Astra attended. It was also announced that Astra would be declared a historical heritage site for the city. Around its 100th anniversary, the YPF oil company filmed part of an advertisement in Astra. Since then, there have been efforts to make Astra a more popular place for tourists. Visitors can tour the old administration building, the first oil well, the church, the bar, and the old cinema to learn about the lives of oil workers.

Even though Astra has faced many challenges, it still survives because of the oil industry. YPF still has an important presence in the town.

Population

Astra's population has changed over time. When oil activity slowed down and the original oil company left, the number of people living there decreased or stayed the same.

In 1957, Astra had about 1,500 residents. By 1991, this number dropped to 351 people. In 2001, it decreased further to 219 residents. This drop was due to less oil work, the long distance to the city center, and a lack of homes and comforts.

Astra is part of the Comodoro Rivadavia municipality. In 2001, it was not considered part of the main city area because it was about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the city center. However, as the oil city grew, new neighborhoods were built closer to Astra. This growth led to Astra's population increasing again. In the 2010 National Census, Astra had 341 inhabitants, showing a growth of over 5% after 20 years.

Sports

The Comodoro Rugby Club is located in Astra.

See also

In Spanish: Astra (Chubut) para niños