São Ludgero

Federal State

São Ludgero is a small city in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.

History

Foundation

The city was colonized by Germans from the Colônia de Teresópolis founded in 1860. They were mainly came in the 1860s from the Münster region from Heek; there the holy Liudger was venerated as the patron saint. From 1873 these settlers migrated, mainly due to the low fertility of the soil, on to São Ludgero.

The current urban area was chosen by the then parish priest, Father Roer, which met on his travels to various communities within the Colônia de Teresópolis to this place; appeared to him the earth there more fertile than that of his home community. As the land belonged to the dowry of the then Princess Isabel of Brazil, they sent a request to the imperial government and asked to be allowed to take possession of this land. After some time came the positive response, and the church was built on the present site.

In the beginning, there was no infrastructure, there were only trails and there had to be cut down a lot of forest to make way for plantations. The only distraction that the colonists were the fairs, where they found the strength to go on. At the beginning of their homes were nothing but straw huts.

Name

The name is due to the holy Liudger, who was a very popular saint in the Westphalian home of the settlers.

Economy

Agriculture and industry are the main economic activities in the community. Poultry production, dairy farming, the cultivation of tobacco ( to a lesser extent today ), maize, beans, fruits and vegetables are especially noteworthy. Mention should also find the industries of plastic and wood.