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Puerto Casado, [[Paraguay|Paraguay]], situated on the west bank of the Paraguay River, 190 miles north of Asuncion, was founded in 1889 by the Carlos Casado Company of Buenos Aires, [[Argentina|Argentina]], with 50 Paraguayan families. Serving largely as the center of the large tannery and cattle ranch owned by the Casado Company, it gained significance as a [[Chaco (South America)|Chaco]] river port with the coming of the Mennonites, and was, until the establishment of the air service, almost ex­clusively the port used by the three Chaco Men­nonite colonies for all travel, exports, and imports. Narrow-gauge railroads run into the interior to facilitate the shipment of logs to the tannery. One of these railroads is used up to Kilometer 145 (Sta­tion Fred Engen) by the Mennonite colonists. It operates one train weekly and has special small cars (<em>autovia</em>) for passenger hire. Many of the 130 Men­nonites who died in the typhoid epidemic in 1927-1928 are buried in the town cemetery. In the late 1950s Puerto Casado had approximately 6,000 inhabitants, most of whom were in the employ of the Carlos Casado Company factories. It had one Catholic church. The town is approximately 240 feet above sea level. During the Chaco War of 1932-1935 the port became in­valuable to the Paraguayan army as a railhead and supply center.
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[[File:Disembarking at Puerto Casado.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|''The first group of immigrants arriving in Puerto Casado on 31 December 1926. Left to right: Rev. A. E. Giesbrecht, Johann G. Klippenstein, group leader P. F. Krahn, and Rev. Johann W. Sawatzky. Source: [https://www.plettfoundation.org/preservings/ ''Preservings''], no. 11, p. 84.'']]
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Puerto Casado (also known as Puerto La Victoria) is a [[Paraguay|Paraguayan]] port town situated on the west bank of the Paraguay River, approximately 320 kilometers (340 km by boat and 632 km by road) north of [[Asunción (Paraguay)|Asunción]]. It served as an important disembarkation and access point for the Mennonites of Paraguay.
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Puerto Casado was founded in 1889 by the [[Carlos Casado Company]] with 50 Paraguayan families. For the first decades of its existence, it was the Casados' primary outpost to their lands in the [[Chaco (South America)|Chaco]]. When a land-seeking delegation representing a coalition of [[Bergthal Mennonites]] arrived in Puerto Casado in 1921, it noted a meat-packing plant, a cement factory, the Casados' large tannin factory, a ranch with 22,500 head of cattle, a private school the Casados operated for company employees, and an impressive villa. During the [[Chaco War (1932-1935)|Chaco War]] of 1932-1935 the port became invaluable to the Paraguayan army as a railhead and supply center. The town is approximately 240 feet above sea level. In 2012, it had a population of approximately 7,000 people.
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The first group of [[Canada|Canadian]] Mennonite [[Emigration from Canada to Mexico and Paraguay in the 1920s|immigrants to Paraguay]] disembarked at Puerto Casado on 31 December 1926, with more groups arriving throughout 1927 and eventually making a total population of 1,785 immigrants. Because [[Corporación Paraguaya|nobody had properly prepared]] for their arrival, the Mennonites were forced to wait until April 1928 before they could begin founding the first villages of [[Menno Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Menno Colony]]; their land in the Chaco was 200 kilometers away, without [[Railroads#Latin America|rail]] access, and had not been surveyed. Some of the immigrants founded [[Pozo Azul (Paraguay)|temporary settlements]] in the interior while they waited for necessary preparations, but many stayed in Puerto Casado for the duration, where they lived in crowded tents and sheet-metal barracks, had only a few toilets, and drank polluted water. Soon an epidemic<ref>Some sources state that the epidemic was typhus while others state that it was typhoid fever; many also died of dysentery.</ref> broke out. In total 121 Mennonites died in Puerto Casado during their 16-month wait (more died in the interior). A section of the Catholic cemetery became the Mennonite corner and has nearly 100 Mennonite graves, over half of them for children under the age of three. In addition to the epidemic, discontent, disillusionment, division, destitution, and idleness defined the immigrants' stay in Puerto Casado. Some of the immigrants were able to find employment and some vital income in the local tannin factory; others dug graves and cared for the sick.
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Puerto Casado was also the disembarkation point for the Mennonite [[refugees]] from the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|Soviet Union]] who founded the [[Fernheim Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Fernheim]] and [[Neuland Colony (Boquerón Department, Paraguay)|Neuland]] colonies.  
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A narrow-gauge [[Railroads|railroad]] from the town runs 145 kilometers of the way towards the colonies (Station [[Engen, Fred (1863-1929)|Fred Engen]]) and was frequently used by the Mennonites until their settlements received highway access. Until air and then highway service were established, Puerto Casado was the port used almost exclusively by the three Chaco Mennonite colonies for all travel, exports, and imports.
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=Notes=
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<references />
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= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
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Quiring, Walter. <em>Russlanddeutsche suchen eine Heimat. </em>Karlsruhe, 1938.
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Boschmann, Erwin. ''Paraguay: A Tour Guide with Special Emphasis on the Mennonites''. Indianapolis: Science Enterprises, 2009: 101, 135-158.
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Braun, Ernest N. "My Grandmother's Song: Katherina Falk Braun 1890-1927." ''Preservings'', no. 10, part 1 (June 1997): 43-46.
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Braun, Ernest N. "There and Back Again: A Tale of Two Decisions." ''Preservings'', no. 45 (Fall 2022): 29-34.
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Fretz, Joseph W. ''Pilgrims in Paraguay: The Story of Mennonite Colonization in South America''. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1953: 12-26.
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Friesen, M.W. ''Canadian Mennonites Conquer a Wilderness: The Beginning and Development of the Menno Colony, First Mennonite Settlement in South America''. Translated by Christel Wiebe. Loma Plata, Paraguay: Historical Committee of the Menno Colony, 2009.
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Loewen, Royden. ''Village among Nations: "Canadian" Mennonites in a Transnational World, 1916-2006''. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013: 14-65.
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Quiring, Walter. ''Russlanddeutsche suchen eine Heimat.'' Karlsruhe, 1938.
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Quiring, Walter. "The Canadian Mennonite Immigration into the Paraguayan Chaco, 1926-27." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 8, no. 1 (January 1934): 32-42.
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Raine, Philip. ''Paraguay.'' New Brunswick, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1956.
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Stoesz, Edgar. ''Like a Mustard Seed: Mennonites in Paraguay''. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2008: 26-41.
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Stoesz, Edgar and Muriel T. Stackley. ''Garden in the Wilderness: Mennonite Communities in the Paraguayan Chaco, 1927-1997''. Winnipeg: CMBC Publications, 1999: 1-4, 17-44.
  
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Raine, Philip. <em>Paraguay. </em>New Bruns­wick, 1956.
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World Gazetteer, "[https://archive.today/20130209134419/http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&geo=-179#selection-4811.10-4811.13 Paraguay: Largest Cities and Towns and Statistics of Their Population]" (archived 2013-02-09).
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 230|date=1959|a1_last=Dyck|a1_first=Cornelius J|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 230|date=June 2025|a1_last=Dyck|a1_first=Cornelius J.|a2_last=Ens|a2_first=Gerald}}

Revision as of 19:26, 17 June 2025

The first group of immigrants arriving in Puerto Casado on 31 December 1926. Left to right: Rev. A. E. Giesbrecht, Johann G. Klippenstein, group leader P. F. Krahn, and Rev. Johann W. Sawatzky. Source: Preservings, no. 11, p. 84.

Puerto Casado (also known as Puerto La Victoria) is a Paraguayan port town situated on the west bank of the Paraguay River, approximately 320 kilometers (340 km by boat and 632 km by road) north of Asunción. It served as an important disembarkation and access point for the Mennonites of Paraguay.

Puerto Casado was founded in 1889 by the Carlos Casado Company with 50 Paraguayan families. For the first decades of its existence, it was the Casados' primary outpost to their lands in the Chaco. When a land-seeking delegation representing a coalition of Bergthal Mennonites arrived in Puerto Casado in 1921, it noted a meat-packing plant, a cement factory, the Casados' large tannin factory, a ranch with 22,500 head of cattle, a private school the Casados operated for company employees, and an impressive villa. During the Chaco War of 1932-1935 the port became invaluable to the Paraguayan army as a railhead and supply center. The town is approximately 240 feet above sea level. In 2012, it had a population of approximately 7,000 people.

The first group of Canadian Mennonite immigrants to Paraguay disembarked at Puerto Casado on 31 December 1926, with more groups arriving throughout 1927 and eventually making a total population of 1,785 immigrants. Because nobody had properly prepared for their arrival, the Mennonites were forced to wait until April 1928 before they could begin founding the first villages of Menno Colony; their land in the Chaco was 200 kilometers away, without rail access, and had not been surveyed. Some of the immigrants founded temporary settlements in the interior while they waited for necessary preparations, but many stayed in Puerto Casado for the duration, where they lived in crowded tents and sheet-metal barracks, had only a few toilets, and drank polluted water. Soon an epidemic[1] broke out. In total 121 Mennonites died in Puerto Casado during their 16-month wait (more died in the interior). A section of the Catholic cemetery became the Mennonite corner and has nearly 100 Mennonite graves, over half of them for children under the age of three. In addition to the epidemic, discontent, disillusionment, division, destitution, and idleness defined the immigrants' stay in Puerto Casado. Some of the immigrants were able to find employment and some vital income in the local tannin factory; others dug graves and cared for the sick.

Puerto Casado was also the disembarkation point for the Mennonite refugees from the Soviet Union who founded the Fernheim and Neuland colonies.

A narrow-gauge railroad from the town runs 145 kilometers of the way towards the colonies (Station Fred Engen) and was frequently used by the Mennonites until their settlements received highway access. Until air and then highway service were established, Puerto Casado was the port used almost exclusively by the three Chaco Mennonite colonies for all travel, exports, and imports.

Notes

  1. ↑ Some sources state that the epidemic was typhus while others state that it was typhoid fever; many also died of dysentery.

Bibliography

Boschmann, Erwin. Paraguay: A Tour Guide with Special Emphasis on the Mennonites. Indianapolis: Science Enterprises, 2009: 101, 135-158.

Braun, Ernest N. "My Grandmother's Song: Katherina Falk Braun 1890-1927." Preservings, no. 10, part 1 (June 1997): 43-46.

Braun, Ernest N. "There and Back Again: A Tale of Two Decisions." Preservings, no. 45 (Fall 2022): 29-34.

Fretz, Joseph W. Pilgrims in Paraguay: The Story of Mennonite Colonization in South America. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1953: 12-26.

Friesen, M.W. Canadian Mennonites Conquer a Wilderness: The Beginning and Development of the Menno Colony, First Mennonite Settlement in South America. Translated by Christel Wiebe. Loma Plata, Paraguay: Historical Committee of the Menno Colony, 2009.

Loewen, Royden. Village among Nations: "Canadian" Mennonites in a Transnational World, 1916-2006. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013: 14-65.

Quiring, Walter. Russlanddeutsche suchen eine Heimat. Karlsruhe, 1938.

Quiring, Walter. "The Canadian Mennonite Immigration into the Paraguayan Chaco, 1926-27." Mennonite Quarterly Review 8, no. 1 (January 1934): 32-42.

Raine, Philip. Paraguay. New Brunswick, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1956.

Stoesz, Edgar. Like a Mustard Seed: Mennonites in Paraguay. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2008: 26-41.

Stoesz, Edgar and Muriel T. Stackley. Garden in the Wilderness: Mennonite Communities in the Paraguayan Chaco, 1927-1997. Winnipeg: CMBC Publications, 1999: 1-4, 17-44.

World Gazetteer, "Paraguay: Largest Cities and Towns and Statistics of Their Population" (archived 2013-02-09).


Author(s) Cornelius J. Dyck
Gerald Ens
Date Published June 2025

Cite This Article

MLA style

Dyck, Cornelius J. and Gerald Ens. "Puerto Casado (Alto Paraguay Department, Paraguay)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2025. Web. 19 Jan 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Puerto_Casado_(Alto_Paraguay_Department,_Paraguay)&oldid=180877.

APA style

Dyck, Cornelius J. and Gerald Ens. (June 2025). Puerto Casado (Alto Paraguay Department, Paraguay). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 January 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Puerto_Casado_(Alto_Paraguay_Department,_Paraguay)&oldid=180877.



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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 230. All rights reserved.


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