Those coming to this locality, situated at a little over 100 km from Buenos Aires, could have never imagined that otters were the true culprits of the name of this city (Wolfs).

Once here, travellers are told that in the year 1778, a fort was established in the place by order of Viceroy Vertiz to protect it from the attacks of the natives, and that the settlers called the otters, which inhabited a nearby lagoon, aquatic wolfs.

Later, in 1883, the town projected its enlargement around a chapel raised in the name of Our Lady of Carmen, built by the founder of the city, Don Jose Salgado.

The city keeps old buildings from the XIX century, with ample corridors, tiled patios, cisterns and artistic iron grids. There are traditional warehouses and shops still standing in the area of the villas.

The town's entrance, along Hipolito Irigoyen Av, shows isolated houses from the early XX century, with art nouveau iron grids and neoclassical elements. Following Buenos Aires St you reach the main plaza, where the building of the Social Club, of art deco features, makes itself notable. Adjacent to it is the Municipality, with a plaque that states the origin of the town.

In Lobos travellers can discover many ways of having fun, some will play 18 holes and others will hastily make an escapade to fish at the lagoon. It is not impossible to take part in flying and parachuting baptises; and lastly, to sit at a table and ask for a non expensive delicious menu. There are also the unavoidable grills also offering country sauces, honeys and cheeses along the way.

HOW TO GET THERE

Along Riccheri Highway, which is reached from Puente Uno through Jorge Newberry Av (with a new two-lane road)), or along the access to Route 205. You should drive carefully coming from Ezeiza along this route, for there are some areas undergoing an enlargement process up to the crossing with Cañuelas. You then follow Route 205 up to the km 111.5, where the detour to the lagoon is found.

PLACES OF INTEREST

The Lagoon
This water mirror is one of the main recreational and sport tourist attractions of the area. It has a surface of 800 has that are part of the Hydrographical System of the Salado River, with a total basin adding up to 1800 km2. The lagoon's depth varies between 1.50 and 2 m.

It is framed in a welcoming natural environment, 15 km southeast of the urban core of the City of Lobos, at 115 km from the Federal Capital, and at 135 km from La Plata.

There are some fishing clubs and a few camping areas and inns all along its shore, which allow tourists to spend and enjoy more than one day at the place with all the necessary comfort.

This lagoon is also ideally suitable for rowing, or riding on a motorboat with engines of up to five HP. As to other sports, you can also sail, windsurf, sport fish and ride on a jet ski.

All sorts of colourful vessels gather on the 90 has waters of the Salvador Maria and Los Lobos Bays during the motor-nautical season, which goes from December to March.

The "Festival of the Sport Fisher", which has been declared of tourist interest for municipal, provincial and national administrators, takes place since January of 1988.

Agricultural Engineer Ernesto Hiriart Municipal Park
It is a 17 hs park magnificently wooded with very old species of trees such as eucalyptuses, lime trees, palm trees, paraisos, and a variety of different pine trees. It has a cultural centre and an amphitheatre, and is also the house of the Fermin Villarruel Sport Compound, oopened in October of 1981. It has facilities available for the practice of athletics, volleyball, handball, basketball, cycling, skating, bowl court, etc. Salgado Oeste and Independencia Stts.

Fort Lobos Aero and Golf Clubs
It is a sport compound in a natural setting that calls to be enjoyed in the company of your family and friends, located at 7 km from the city going along National Route N 205 (Km 107). It houses the School Club of Argentine Parachuting which offers a 18-hole golf court, the Airplane Modelling Club, a swimming pool, soccer fields and beach volleyball.

Shoot of the Pine Tree of San Lorenzo
A pine tree was planted on August the 17th of 1948 to honour General San Martin and his grenadiers; it was blessed by parish catholic priest Emilio Larumbe. This pine tree, which grows in the 1810 Plaza, roughly before the Church of Our Lady of Carmen, was declared the main Historical, Cultural and Natural Patrimony of Lobos.

Lobos Train Station
It is a magnificent sample of English-argentinian architecture of that period, which has been also declared as a Cultural Patrimony of Lobos.

Cross of the Jesuits
The Catholic Mission arrived in Lobos in 1872, and there are some remains of that arrival, such as the wooden crosses on masonry pedestals found in the northern part of the town, on the banks of the Salgado Canal. The year they were raised is written on their bases. A similar one was erected on Peron St, to the south.

1810 Plaza
It is the main plaza, located before the Church of El Carmen. The lot for its construction was donated by Don Manuel Antonio Caminos, the first Peace Judge of the county. In the beginning it was called Buenos Aires, until the centenary of the independence, when it was named following the name of 1810 Plaza. It currently has a dense grove, plaques, busts, monuments, and the landmark of the Military Geographic Institute marking the 100th km. Between Salgado, Buenos Aires, Belgrano and 25 de Mayo Stts.