History of Villamaria

According to the couc (Urban Planning Corporation of Caldas) in the period 1965-1982, the demise of the railroad have injured the evolution of urban structure Villamaría. In this period a new structure is consolidated with the construction of the Jaime Duque (1967), College Gerardo Arias Ramirez (1972), The House of the Vincentian Sisters (1975) Reform Foundation and San Antonio (1982) Hospital.   Between 1982 and 1985 a great change due to new government policies and the emergence of industries Villamaría occurs.   Many neighborhoods are built by ICT   (Instituto de Credito Territorial), BCH (Central Mortgage Bank) and the Corporations Savings and Loan, different to the village amenities, deeply affecting the urban structure of the population, which remained segregated in Traditional Sector and Sector New . In urban areas, the municipality was Villamaría Caldas present greater population growth in the period between 1973-1985, because the expansion of Manizales think much of this growth, which can be regarded as exogenous Township.

Regarding Natural phenomena, in the Municipality    Villamaría have occurred in recent history, the following: the flood of major proportions that in 1952 drew the first bridge between Manizales and Villamaría and had the name Bridge of Boyaca, the earthquake of November 23, 1979 that caused havoc in many homes of the people left in deplorable conditions and the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the rectory, and the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano occurred on November 5, 1985 and whose catastrophic consequences are known to all.  

The October 19, 2002 celebrated its sesquicentennial of political and administrative, 150 years of hopes and