Tres de Febrero

▪ partido, Argentina

      partido (county), central Gran (Greater) Buenos Aires, eastern Argentina, immediately west of the city of Buenos Aires, in Buenos Aires provincia (province). The county is named for the Battle of Caseros on Feb. 3, 1852, in which the Argentine military ruler Juan Manuel de Rosas was defeated. Early settlement of Tres de Febrero focused on two sites, those of present-day Santos Lugares and of the battle. In 1799 Bernardo Casero built the Palomar de Caseros, his home, which was the site of the 1852 battle and later of the town of Caseros. The settlement around Santos Lugares centred on an 18th-century mission and chapel dedicated to Jesús Amoroso. The area of present-day Tres de Febrero was part of Morón county until 1864, then was included in the county of San Martín (later General San Martín) until 1959, when the county of Tres de Febrero was created out of General San Martín. Its cabecera (county seat) is Caseros.

      The industries of Tres de Febrero produce metal goods, glass, paper, textiles, pharmaceuticals, perfume, and bricks. The National Military College is located in Caseros, as is a museum dedicated to the Battle of Caseros.

      With the growth of the national capital, the county has been absorbed into the western suburbs of Gran Buenos Aires, and it lies entirely within the Gran Buenos Aires urban area. It is served by two major railway lines, running west-northwest from Buenos Aires, and by the national highway system. Pop. (2001) 336,467.

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