Fuerte Bulnes founded in the Strait of Magellan (1843–1848)

Fuerte Bulnes, the first Chilean settlement on the Strait of Magellan, was founded in 1843 under President Manuel Bulnes to enforce sovereignty. Directed by John Williams Wilson, the expedition arrived at Punta Santa Ana in September 1843. The site was relocated to Punta Arenas in 1848 due to insufficient space for community development.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. President Manuel Bulnes established Fuerte Bulnes to enforce Chilean sovereignty over the Magellan Straits. The fort was built to further colonization policies in Southern Chile and protect the strategic waterway. The expedition was sponsored by the government to build a fort and establish a permanent settlement on the shores of the Strait of Magellan.

Expedition and Founding. The schooner Goleta Ancud, commanded by John Williams Wilson, transported a crew of 21 people from Ancud in May 1843. The vessel arrived at Punta Santa Ana on September 21, 1843, where the founding act took place. The fort was named after President Manuel Bulnes Prieto.

Relocation to Punta Arenas. The original site at Punta Santa Ana offered insufficient space for a settled community. Consequently, the settlement was relocated in 1848 to the Sandy Point area along the Las Minas river. Military governor José de los Santos Mardones renamed the new location Punta Arenas.

People involved

Sources

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