Americana (Portuguese pronunciation:[ameɾiˈkɐnɐ]) is a municipality (município) located in theBrazilianstate ofSão Paulo. It is part of theMetropolitan Region of Campinas.[2] The population is 237,240 (2022 Census) in an area of 133.91 km2 (51.70 sq mi).[1] The original settlement developed around the local railway station, founded in 1875, and the development of acotton weaving factory in a nearby farm.
Around three hundred of theConfederados are members of theFraternidade Descendência Americana (Fraternity of American Descendants). They meet quarterly at the Campo Cemetery.[3]
The city was known asVila dos Americanos ("Village of the Americans") until 1904, when it belonged to the city ofSanta Bárbara d'Oeste. It became a district in 1924 and a municipality in 1953.
Americana has several museums and tourist attractions, including thePedagogic Historical Museum and theContemporary Art Museum.
The first records on the occupation of the lands where Americana now stands date from the late 18th century, when Domingos da Costa Machado I acquired a crown property between the municipalities of Vila Nova da Constituição (nowPiracicaba) and Vila de São Carlos (nowCampinas). In that area several estates were created, including Salto Grande, Machadinho, and Palmeiras.
A part of the property, which included the Machadinho estate, was sold by Domingos da Costa Machado II to Antônio Bueno Rangel. After Rangel's death, the estate was divided between his sons José and Basílio Bueno Rangel. A part of the property was afterwards sold to the captain of theBrazilian National Guard, Ignácio Corrêa Pacheco, who is considered the founder of Americana.[4][5][6]
In 1866, the region started to be populated withAmerican immigrants from the formerConfederate States of America, who were fleeing the aftermath of theAmerican Civil War. The EmperorDom Pedro II was a fierce advocate of the South during the war, and openly recruited the former Confederates, offering free transport, cheap land, and an easy path to citizenship.[7]
The first immigrant to arrive was the lawyer and ex-statesenator fromAlabama, colonelWilliam Hutchinson Norris. Norris installed himself in lands near the seat of the Machadinho estate and theQuilombo River.[3]
Norris was to investigate and report on Brazil as a possible new home for Confederates who no longer wanted to live in the United States. His report was positive, and in 1867 the rest of his family arrived in Brazil, accompanied by other families from the Confederate States. These families settled in the region, bringing agricultural innovations and a kind ofwatermelon known as "Georgia'srattlesnake".[8] Between 8,000 and 20,000 former Confederates emigrated to Brazil (not all to this one town). Slaves were inexpensive in Brazil, one noted, and at least 54 families bought 536 slaves after arrival in Brazil.
Steagall confederate family in Americana
In 1875, almost a decade after the arrival of the Confederate immigrants in the region, theCompanhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro completed the expansion of its main railway to the city ofRio Claro. A station was built within the lands of the Machadinho estate. Despite belonging to the municipality of Campinas, the station was made to serve the estates in the municipality ofSanta Bárbara d'Oeste, which was further away and had no station of its own.[3]
The inauguration of the station counted theEmperor Dom Pedro II andGaston, comte d'Eu among those who attended. The station was baptized "Santa Bárbara station". It is unknown exactly when the small village became the city of Americana, but it is known that this village was created by the time of the inauguration of the railway station, and that it was Ignácio Corrêa Pacheco who distributed the lands. Pacheco is thus considered the founder of the city. The municipal holiday of Americana is still August 27, the day when the railway station was inaugurated.
The old flag of Americana reflecting the city's Confederate origins[9]
The small town formed around the station was named "Villa da Estação de Santa Bárbara" (Santa Bárbara Station Town). Its inhabitants consisted mainly of American families, and the town became thus popularly known as "Villa dos Americanos" (Town of the Americans).[3]
Confederate flag in the old coat of arms of Americana
The similarity between the official name of the town and that of the neighboring municipality frequently caused serious communication problems, such as mail to Santa Bárbara Station often being shipped to the municipality of Santa Bárbara, ten kilometers (6.2 mi) away. In order to solve the problem, the railway company changed the name of the station in 1900 to "Estação de Villa Americana" (American Town Station). The name of the town itself was then also officially changed to "Villa Americana" (American Town).[4][5][6]
The many Confederates brought us the wheelbarrow, watermelon, cotton and the plow.
The city celebrates an annual Confederate festival, named the "Festa Confederada". TheConfederate flag is prominently displayed, and men dress as Confederate soldiers.[11]
In the 1890s, the farm known asFazenda Salto Grande was purchased by theAmerican Clement Willmot. Willmot established the first industry in Americana under the name Clement H. Willmot & Cia. In 1889, the factory was renamedFábrica de Tecidos Carioba (Carioba Textile Factory). The name "Carioba" derives from theTupi words for "white cloth".
The factory ran into financial trouble after theabolition of slavery in 1888, and was purchased byGerman immigrants who were members of the Müller family. The town of Carioba sprang up around the factory. German immigrants brought European-style urbanization to Carioba which is reflected in the style of its manors, factories, hotels, and schools.Asphalt oftar was then first imported from Europe into Americana and utilized in road paving. The factory became the basis for the present-dayParque Industrial de Americana (Industrial Park of Americana).[4][5][6]
On October 8, 1887, Joaquim Boer led a large group of Italian immigrants to Brazil. At Americana these Italian immigrants built their first church in 1896, dedicated toSaint Anthony of Padua, who eventually became thepatron saint of the city. Born in Portugal, and called Saint Anthony of Lisbon there, the saint who is among the three June popular saints in the Catholic calendar (the others being Saints John the Baptist and Peter) is celebrated on June 13 with typical Junine countryside Brazilian food, prayers of the rosary, square dance, liquor, and bonfire.
Although immigrants got incentives to come to Brazil, Italians who arrived before that did not seem to have enjoyed special privileges. They often lived within the quarters designed for enslaved Africans who also suffered from lack of comfort and healthy conditions. Those immigrants worked asindentured servants, paying off their debts to farmers who had paid for their tickets and were exploited, until the system was revamped and improved. Their descendants went on to become laborers, merchants, and professionals.[4][5][6]
In 1906, two years after the creation of the Distrito de Paz de Villa Americana, the municipality received a visit fromElihu Root,United States Secretary of State, who had been attending and presiding over thePan-American Conference held inRio de Janeiro. After the conference, Root visited other parts of Brazil (such asAraras), and was informed of the existence of Americana. Root expressed interest in visiting the town, and was received at Americana with great emotion and affection. Hundreds of the residents received Root at nighttime.[12]
With the change in status from village to district, Americana developed rapidly. Its first police force was created, a sub prefecture was established, and threestreet lights – lit bykerosene and brought from Germany – were introduced. A school was also established, with the sending of the educator Silvino José de Oliveira to represent Americana's interests with the state government. All of these developments led the local inhabitants to clamor for the status of a city.
In 1922, Villa Americana was one of the most progressive districts in Campinas with a population of 4,500. In this year, the fight to change its status to city began, led by Antonio Lobo and others, such as Lieutenant Antas de Abreu, Cícero Jones and Hermann Müller himself. Their efforts finally bore fruit: on November 12, 1924, the Municipality of Villa Americana was created,[13] comprising two districts: Villa Americana andNova Odessa, Nova Odessa later becoming its own municipality.
Constitutionalist Revolution and economic development
A call to arms to the young men of Americana during the Constitutionalist Revolution
At the time of the beginning of theGetúlio Vargas dictatorship in Brazil in 1930, Americana was undergoing a profound economic transformation due to the rise of thetextile industry there (the city was known as the "Rayon Capital").
In 1932, during the administration of Mayor Antonio Zanaga, the revolt known as theConstitutionalist Revolution erupted against Vargas' regime. Americana sent volunteers to this revolution, and three of them, Jorge Jones, Fernando de Camargo and Aristeu Valente (fromNova Odessa, then part of Americana), perished during the struggle. Their sacrifice is remembered in Americana to this day.
In 1938, Mayor Zanaga changed the name of the town from Villa Americana to Americana, and due to the economic transformation of the town, theComarca of Americana was created on December 31, 1953, during the administration of Mayor Jorge Arbix. In 1959, during the administration of Mayor Abrahim Abraham, Nova Odessa was made autonomous as its own municipality.[4][5][6]
Between 1960 and 1970, the rapid development of Americana led many people to move there in search of work. Because of its size, there was not enough room to accommodate the new residents and many lived on the border ofSanta Bárbara d'Oeste and Americana, creating what is known today asZona Leste de Santa Bárbara (East Santa Barbara).
The same also occurred because the majority of the population were unaware of the location where one municipality ended and where another began. The confusion came about because municipal limits were not yet fully determined. The problem was solved with the creation of a major avenue, today called Avenida da Amizade (Friendship Avenue), which became the dividing line.
At the same time as these developments, some problems were also created. The sudden increase in population caused an imbalance in the public accounts of the municipality, which was not ready for such a great number of new residents.
Americana has an altitude tropical climate,[14] with hot summers and chilly winters. In winter, there is much lessrainfall than in summer. According toKöppen andGeiger the climate classification is Aw.
The median high temperature in summer is 29 °C (84 °F) and the median low is 18 °C (64 °F), comparable toBoston. Inwinter, the median high temperature is 22 °C (72 °F) and the median low temperature is 10 °C (50 °F), comparable toOrlando, Florida.
In Americana, the month with the most daily hours of sunshine is February with an average of 9.37 hours of sunshine. In total, there are 290.43hours of sunshine in February.
The month with the fewest daily hours ofsunshine in Americana is January with an average of 8.87 hours of sunshine per day. In total, there are 266.09 hours of sunshine in January. About 3251.14 hours of sunshine are counted in Americana throughout the year. On average, there are 106.92 hours of sunshine per month.
Amblyomma sculptum andA. dubitatum are common here.[15] In 2017, it was found thatα-cypermethrin (pyrethroid) andflufenoxuron (benzoylurea chitin synthesis inhibitor) areefficacious against populations in this area.[15] These ticks are significantveterinary parasites and so α-cyp and flufenoxuron are useful here for animal protection.[15]
The population mainly descends fromAmerican Southerners and a mixture of Portuguese, Italian, German and Levantine immigrants, as well as some indigenous Brazilian and African peoples.
Because of its origins as a village settled byAmerican Confederates, it received the name "Americana", referring to "cidade" or city, the feminine form of "American", which in Portuguese means any native of the Americas, although often applied only toUS citizens.[3]
The municipality is currently divided into 10 planning areas, through the Integrated Development Master Plan, and the city is made up of 300 neighborhoods.[19]
TheTeatro Arena Elis Regina, or theElis Regina Arena Theater (named afterElis Regina) was built in 1981 and became a venue for various artists. It was then abandoned to a state of dilapidation, having become a site of illegal activities. In 2000, reconstruction began, reopening on September 22, 2004. The theater was rebuilt with the idea of a circus in mind: it would offer various entertaining spectacles and activities simultaneously, and the theater was covered with a white canvas sheet, evoking the impression of lightness and brightness. The theater offers 1100 seats, two dressing rooms, and ample parking space.
Teatro Municipal Lulu Benencasse, orLulu Benencasse Municipal Theater, opened in 1986, occupying the building of the oldCine Brasil, which for decades had been a hang-out for youngamericanenses. Since its inauguration, it has served as the venue for various cultural offerings, such as plays, dance performances, and music, as well as different social and artistic programs. The theater was chosen as a film location by the producers of the filmPor Trás do Pano (1999, withDenise Fraga) due to its traditional appearance. It has 840 seats.
The Municipal Library, named after the teacher Jandira Basseto Pântano, was founded on October 25, 1955. It occupies the old building belonging to the Academic Group "Dr. Heitor Penteado" on Comendador Müller Square, near the Church of Santo Antônio. It contains 41429 books on various general subjects and 9051 children's books, totalling 50,480 books (as of June 1999), as well as 114 various newspapers and 24,500 magazines, including children's. The average number of visitors in 1998 was 600 people, who mostly came in the afternoon. Its enrolled number of associates totals 31,900 people, as of December 1998.
Jandira Basseto Pântano was born on October 27, 1918, in Americana. She received her elementary education at the Escolas Reunidas, one of the first schools founded in the city. She completed her education at Campinas and in January 1938 was named a substitute teacher at the Academic Group "Dr. Heitor Penteado" before becoming a full-time teacher there. She worked as a teacher at the school for 22 years, and was noted for her hard work and diligence. She worked with all of the grades, but she preferred to work with the fourth year students, and prepare them for the wider world. She retired on March 9, 1968, and died on June 7, 1988. Up until her death, she continued to receive students at her home, helping illiterate adults and poor children.
Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC)): Founded in 1978, it is found in a building attached to the Municipal Library. It contains 260 works of art by contemporary artists, including paintings, sculpture, engravings, designs, photographs, and artistic installations. The museum features exhibitions by local artists and by artists from other cities, as well as workshops and classes. It also contains a library and holds an annual national contest, which gives the "Prêmio Revelação de Artes Plásticas" (Revelation Prize of Plastic Arts) to young artists.
"Conselheiro João Carrão" Historic and Pedagogical Museum (Museu Histórico e Pedagógico "Conselheiro João Carrão): This museum is located in the old farm known as Salto Grande built in colonialMinas Gerais style fromtaipa according to the "pilão" technique, where the material is piled and compressed into horizontal layers a course at a time, with foundations made from real wood. Located at the confluence of theAtibaia andJaguari Rivers, the museum contains photographs, maps, historical artifacts and machines, furniture, and torture devices used during the slavery system.
Roman Catholicism: Since the dismemberment of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Campinas in 1976, Americana fell under the diocese ofRoman Catholic Diocese of Limeira. Americana has a strong Catholic tradition due to the influence of Luso-Brazilians and of itsItalian immigrants, who first began arriving in 1887. The first church at Americana was built in the middle of 1896 and dedicated toSaint Anthony of Padua, who became thepatron saint of the city. The city has one of the largest Catholic churches in the country built in theNeoclassical style, the New Church of Saint Anthony (Matriz Nova de Santo Antônio), the largest in the diocese.[20]
Named Terminal Rodoviario Francisco Luiz Bendilatti, the Americana bus station has been in operation since 1988 and is located in the Campo Limpo neighborhood. The location receives buses from more than thirty locations, which operate in the Southeast, South and Center-west regions of Brazil. The main cities connected with Americana bus station areSão Paulo,Goiânia,Curitiba,Araraquara,Osasco,Limeira,Santo André,Cascavel,Londrina andMaringá. The Terminal has twenty-five cargo transport companies.[21]
Americana is also the hometown ofParalympics swimmer Danilo Binda Glasser, winner of two bronze medals in the Paralympics of Sydney 2000 and at Athens 2004, and footballerOscar, a silver medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, a 2013 FIFAConfederations Cup champion, a 2011–2012UEFA Champions League championChelsea F.C. player.[22]
In telecommunications, the city was served byTelecomunicações de São Paulo.[24] In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted theVivo brand in 2012.[25]
The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).[25]