Interestingly, while living in Austria, I heard that there was an Austrian pioneer in Patagonia.
This man's name was José Kuney Posne, and I learned his story thanks to a historian colleague from the Gobernador Gregores area.
Kuney was a blacksmith by trade. After the Patagonian strikes of 1920 and 1921, he settled halfway between Puerto Deseado and Lago Posadas. This spot was a mandatory stop for all the “chatas,” which were the most commonly used form of freight transport at the time.
These flatbed trucks required constant maintenance after hauling tons of cargo between the port and the ranches in the area. Kuney’s business grew, and other merchants began to settle around him. The town was known as “Cañadón León” because of its proximity to the ravine where large numbers of pumas lived.
He was an active member of the local community and served as president of the town’s development association. He saw his town grow little by little, and after a long life of hard work and dedication, he passed away in 1956.
Years later—in 1975—the provincial government recognized José Kuney Posne, “the Austrian,” as the town’s founder, and today his blacksmith shop is a historic landmark.
