Loma Plata (Menno Colony, Boquerón Department, Paraguay)

Loma Plata, Paraguay is the administrative, economic, and social center of Menno Colony (coordinates: 22° 23′ 0″ S, 59° 50′ 0″ W). Located on non-arable land, in 1937 it became the center of such cooperative enterprises as trade and industry, as well as the offices of the colony administration. It received its name from the Mennonite expedition which explored the Chaco for settlement possibilities in 1921. When the first settlers came in 1927-1928 a large preliminary camp of settlers was located at this place.

In 1988 ca. 2,000 people (550 families) lived in Loma Plata. Originally the central school served as worship center also, but in 1988 three large church buildings served as meeting places for the Menno Colony's multi-congregation church (Mennonitengemeinde) of ca. 1,500 members. The three congregations had choirs, music groups, women's organizations, youth clubs and youth work, and volleyball and football clubs, etc. A large elementary school and a high school with full national accreditation were also located here, as was a Bible school, agricultural school and a school for special purposes. The offices of the colony administration, security services, and agricultural bureau as well as a number of private enterprises including general stores, furniture establishments, an agricultural machinery factory, and various other enterprises were found in Loma Plata.

The producer-consumer cooperative of the colony was headquartered here. This included a cotton processing plant, an oil press, a power station, a plant converting wood to gas, a meat market, and a creamery processing ca. 70,000-80,000 liters (ca. 20,000 gallons) of milk daily. Loma Plata was also the location of a hotel, telephone and radio services, and a 45-bed hospital, including five doctors and a nursing school. Daily bus service to Asunción was maintained as was occasional air service. The colony museum and historical archives were also in Loma Plata. In 1988 ca. 430 Mennonites and 80 Indians were employed by the colony in these enterprises.

See also Filadelfia.

Maps

Map:Loma Plata, Menno Colony, Paraguay

Author(s)	Martin W Friesen
Date Published	1988

Cite This Article

MLA style

Friesen, Martin W. "Loma Plata (Menno Colony, Boquerón Department, Paraguay)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1988. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Loma_Plata_(Menno_Colony,_Boquer%C3%B3n_Department,_Paraguay)&oldid=102910.

APA style

Friesen, Martin W. (1988). Loma Plata (Menno Colony, Boquerón Department, Paraguay). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Loma_Plata_(Menno_Colony,_Boquer%C3%B3n_Department,_Paraguay)&oldid=102910.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 529. All rights reserved.

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