1637, Hacienda San
Nicolás de Tolentino was founded by Nicolás de Barros, great-grandson of Don
Pedro de Barros I. The farm was established on the banks of the river channel.
The original property area was 24.78 square kilometres (9.57 sq mi).
Pedro Vasquez Buezo expanded the property to 41.3 square kilometres
(15.9 sq mi). On this estate, Barros allowed his workers to build
their homes and support their families, which helped further develop his field
operations. After the death of Barros, the estate began to accommodate others,
such as people who for reasons of health, age or cronyism with the hacienda
owner were allowed to stay. There were also Indians from
Malambo
and
Galapa.
For 1681, the ranch was considered a village, known as Barrancas de San
Nicolas. Before 1700, Barranquilla was occupied by Aguerra of
Tierradentro
and in 1772, the township was expanded
by the same group, adding a Judge Counsel.
The origin of Barranquilla, promoted
in the second half of the 19th century by the historian Domingo Malabet, was
not supported by oral tradition nor scientifically validated. The work of B. J.
A. Blanco, El norte de Tierradentro y los orígenes de
Barranquilla: Estudios y documentos para una geografía histórica del
Departamento del Atlántico ("Northern
Tierradentro and the origins of Barranquilla") (1987), argued that
