Origins and Foundation
The history of Bahía Murta begins with the ancestral presence of the Tehuelche people, followed by a later wave of settlement in the early 20th century. The original settlement, “Murta Viejo,” was founded around 1928 by Chilean and European pioneers who, facing a harsh environment, built an economy based on livestock and forestry.
Lake-based Trade
During the 1960s and 1970s, limited road access led to the rise of lake-based trade across Lake General Carrera as a central economic axis. Local entrepreneurs and influential families fostered the timber industry and connections between lakeside communities through boat transport, compensating for the absence of land routes.
The 1978 Mudslide
The defining moment came in 1978, when a mudslide destroyed the original settlement of Murta Viejo. Although there were no fatalities, the disaster forced the community to relocate to its present-day location (Murta Nuevo), leaving behind remnants such as the cemetery and the chapel as the only witnesses of the original village.