John E. Bz Photos - Album 6: Early Cordoba Hills, 1900's

Dates: One or two photos are dated, but for the rest we estimated the year of each photo by its content, especially the children present and their apparent ages. When we had nothing to go by, we put “ca.1900's” – most likely taken between 1904 and 1916.

People: w/o surnames: Benitz family members; Bz: Benitz; K-Bz: Kolmer-Benitz;
Hg: Higham; Mac: Macintosh; Sc: Schreiber; St: Storey

———« Places »———

Los Terrones: Is a small picturesque valley of red sandstone formations in the Sierras Chicas a few kilometers north-east of Capilla del Monte (see photos 54-66 below, and Album 2, page 11). John E. Benitz bought it in the 1900s. In the 1960s a squatter would attempt to charge an entrance fee. John’s descendants neglected to pay the provincial property taxes and title was eventually forfeited. Today, it is a privately owned park. [On the web, search for: "Parque Los Terrones Cordoba Argentina"]

Summer Homes:

Cruz Grande: John & Marjorie’s, was the first of the Benitz summer homes built in the Cruz Grande river valley, (before 1904?). It proved fatally unsafe on March 20, 1916, when a major flash flood (creciente) washed through, taking the lives of John & daughter Marjory-Daw. Sold in: 19xx.
NOTE: “Cruz Grande” is the name of the river, the neighbourhood on that river (north of La Cumbre), and of John’s summer home in that neigbourhood. On this page, if the name is not qualified, we mean John’s summer home.
El Rincón: Alfred & Olga's summer home up-river from John’s Cruz Grande. Alfred purchased it in 1908 and the valley watershed above it as far as the 70 foot waterfalls (to protect his water supply). The most beautiful of all, it is still owned by their descendants.
Greystone: William & Clara's summer home in Los Cocos, about 3 km. north of Cruz Grande. Purchased by Clara in 1903, sold by her children in 1944.
Los Nogales: John & Josephine (Benitz) Schreiber home, down-river next to Cruz Grande, the land was purchased in 1907, they sold it in 19xx.
Villa Josefina: It was Josephine Kolmer-Benitz’s last home, built for her by her son John across the Cruz Grande river from his summer home. She lived there from April 25, 1909, until she died August 20, 1912 (see her diaries). After John died, Alfred purchased it (twice) from John’s sons. It was sold out of the family soon after Alfred died in 1937.

———«♦»———

We are enormously grateful to John C. Benitz for making this album available to us.
(Copied on 15 October, 2011.)

Alb.6-01

Macintosh family gathering?
Back: John, 5 young ladies, Uncle Mac, Harley St.?
Tom St?, Josephine K-Bz, Jo, Elsie, Marjory-Daw,
Marjorie Mc-Bz, 2 ladies each with a child
John(jr) in waggon?
Cruz Grande –(Dated: 4/2/08 or 09)

Alb.6-02

Back of Cruz Grande,
acequia & vegetable garden
Hillside road to El Rincón
View N-E across valley – ca.1908+

Alb.6-03

Back of Cruz Grande
View north – ca.1908+

Alb.6-04

Back of Cruz Grande
ca.1900’s

Alb.6-05

A walk in the hills
Who? (Also: 38, 40, 41, 43, 44)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-06

Group at Cruz Grande
Back: Alfred, lady turned, John
Sandy St, Agnes Mac-St, Tom St,
Elsie Mac., Marjorie Mac-Bz
ca.1907

Alb.6-07

Cruz Grande quebrada
L: Cruz Grande – R: Villa Josefina
El Rincón beyond farthest alamos
(2010: alamos still there)
View east up valley – ca.1908+

Alb.6-08

Cruz Grande
View: South across valley – ca.1900’s

Alb.6-09

“Rincon built here after“
The chiquero (goat farm)
ca.1907-1908

Alb.6-10

“Aunt Elsie painting Villa Josefina sign”
ca.1909

Alb.6-11

“Way upriver past Rincon“
Likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-12

Josephine Kolmer’s 80^th ?
Villa Josefina
Alfredito Bz, Beatrice Hg, Bertha Sc-Hg,
Frank Hg jr., lady, John Bz, Josephine K,
Hattie or Katie Bz, 3 ladies & 2 kids,
Mrs. Bischoff, 2 ladies, Alfred Bz
(names per album, corrected) ca.1910

Alb.6-13

Villa Josefina
Left: Road to El Rincón
View east up the Cruz Grande quebrada
1908+

Alb.6-14

Cruz Grande
Damage from a flash-flood
Likely: Jo
ca.1908

Alb.6-15

Villa Josefina
From across the river, view S-E
ca.1908+

Alb.6-16

Cruz Grande
Damage from a flash-flood,
a retaining wall was later built
Likely: Jo
(Also: 15, 27) – ca.1908

Alb.6-17

Cruz Grande river
Likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 11, 18, 19, 21, 23, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-18

“Driving out Old Coach Cruz Grande”
On side-saddles, likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
Carriage: Marjorie (driving), lady, girl, John jr.
(Also: 11, 17, 19, 21, 23, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-19

Cruz Grande quebrada ?
Likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 11, 17, 18, 21, 23, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-20

View west onto Pampa de Olaen
from hills east above Cruz Grarnde
ca.1900’s

Alb.6-21

Likely Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 11, 17, 18, 19, 23, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-22

Villa Josefina
in the Cruz Grande quebrada (valley)
ca.1908+

Alb.6-23

Likely: Emma Schreiber
(Also: 11, 17, 18, 19, 21, 45, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-24

Rock wall (pilca), Villa Josefina
ca.1908+

Alb.6-25

Cruz Grande
Damage from a flash-flood,
a retaining wall was later built
Likely: Jo
(Also: 16, 27) – ca.1908

Alb.6-26

Cruz Grande
Left: lady, Elsie Mac, Marjorie, Elsie
Sitting: boy, Marjory-Daw, John, boy, girl, girl, Jo
Right: Josephine K, Mrs. Bischoff,
Bertha Sc-Hg, Josephine Bz-Sc, Alfred
Sitting: girl
ca.1910

Alb.6-27

Cruz Grande
Damage from a flash-flood
before a retaining wall was built
(Also: 16, 25) – ca.1908

Alb.6-28

Cruz Grande
80+ Cordobeses
ca.1900's

Alb.6-29

“Miss Drumby, John, Alfred, Grannie”
(Grannie: Marjorie Mac-Bz)
ca.1910

Alb.6-30

Informal lunch outside
Asado? – Too many hats!
ca.1900's

Alb.6-31

Cruz Grande river
John, Alfred, Beatrice Hg, Frank Hg
Late 1900's

Alb.6-32

Group photo - Córdobeses?
Late 1900's

Alb.6-33

“Poncho Sellers”
Late 1900's

Alb.6-34

“Walnut tree” – Villa Josefina
Jo with the horses?
Late 1900's

Alb.6-35

“2 maids Sulema Rita Aunt Agnes (Storey)
Uncle William”
Indian blanket vendors
L-R: vendor children, Sulema, Rita, vendor,
Agnes Mc-St (+child), vendor, Elsie Mac ?,
Josephine K, Alfred, Marjorie, John, William
Late 1900's

Alb.6-36

Back of Villa Josefina ?
View west past house into valley beyond
Late 1900's

Alb.6-37

“Cruz Grande Alfred Agnes
Old Grannie Josephine Grannie B”
L-R: Alfred, Agnes Mac-St, Josepine K-Bz,
Marjorie Mac-Bz, Elsie ?
Late 1900's

Alb.6-38

Cruz Grande river
Who? (Also: 05, 40, 41, 43, 44)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-39

“Lower rooms Villa J”
Late 1900's

Alb.6-40

Cruz Grande river
Who? (Also: 05, 38, 41, 43, 44)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-41

Cruz Grande river
Who? (Also: 05, 38, 40, 43, 44)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-42

Track across Cruz Grande river?
Elsie, child, Jo, Marjory-Daw, John
(Faded patch even paler in original)
ca.1907

Alb.6-43

Cruz Grande river
Who? (Also: 05, 38, 40, 41, 44)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-44

Cruz Grande river
Who? (Also: 05, 38, 40, 41, 43)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-45

Cruz Grande river
Likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 11, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 47)
ca.1905

Alb.6-46

Donkey pack train
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-47

Cruz Grande river
Likely: Emma & Clara Sc.
(Also: 11, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 45)
ca.1905

Alb.6-48

“Fox with Juan Mottino’s son”
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-49

“Christmas Tree Cruz Grande 1906±”
ca.1906

Alb.6-51

Jo’s Gallici parrot
Late 1900's

Alb.6-50

Derailed freight train wagon
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-52

Derailed freight train wagon
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-53

“Greystone Pool
William Benitz Family”
L-R, standing: (3)Alfred? (7)William
Late 1900's

Alb.6-55

“William B Clara”
Greystone Pool?
Late 1900's

Los Terrones
Capilla del Monte, Córdoba
Late 1900's
See its description in the introduction above; for more photos, see Album 2, page 11.

Alb.6-54

“Terrones Camping”
Late 1900's

Alb.6-56

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-57

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-58

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-59

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-60

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-61

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-62

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-63

Los Terrones
Dots in the sky likely are condors.
Late 1900's

Alb.6-64

Los Terrones
Dots in the sky likely are condors.
Late 1900's

Alb.6-65

Caretaker & his house?
Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-67

Los Terrones
View out to valley west of the Sierras Chicas
Late 1900's

Alb.6-68

Los Terrones
Late 1900's

Alb.6-66

“John Jo Marjory D
Alred Elsie”
Cruz Grande or Los Terrones?
ca. 1906

Alb.6-69

Unknown
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-70

Manual road work
Cruz Grande river ford (?)
Late 1900's

Alb.6-71

Train wreck – head-on
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-72

“Aunt Elsie Macintosh”
ca.1909

Alb.6-73

Cruz grande fruit & nut orchard?
Late 1900's

Alb.6-74

“Road to Villa Josefina”
ca.1909

Alb.6-75

Poncho sellers?
Córdoba Hills
Late 1900's

Alb.6-76

Cruz Grande
Late 1900's

Alb.6-77

John & Alfred
Cub Scouts
Cruz Grande
Late 1900's

Alb.6-79

Cruz Grande
Who & what game?
Late 1900's

Alb.6-78

“Grape Arbour”
Cruz Grande
Late 1900's

Alb.6-80

Grape Arbour
Cruz Grande
Late 1900's

Alb.6-81

“Juan Mottino
Sulema & family”
ca.1908+

Alb.6-82

“Todd’s house”
ca.1908+

Alb.6-83

“Cruz Grande” (hard to read)
El Cajon? – Dated: 23/2/02

Alb.6-84

Lujan
Farm down valley – ca.1908+

Alb.6-85

“Lujan below in Valley
given to Alfred B. jr”
ca.1908+

Alb.6-86

Lujan
ca.1908+

Alb.6-87

Lujan
ca.1908+

Alb.6-88

Lujan
Aermotor windmill, from Agar Cross & Cia.
ca.1908+

Alb.6-89

Lujan
ca.1908+

Alb.6-90

Out for a walk
ca.1908+

Alb.6-91

Lujan ?
(Spraying against locusts?) ca.1908+

Alb.6-92

Long ride?
ca.1908+

Alb.6-93

On the hills above
ca.1908+

Alb.6-94

Los Nogales
Alfred D. Bz & John Bz
ca.1908+

Alb.6-95

“Nogales
(Aunt Josephine Schreiber)”
John Schreiber, Alfred D. Bz, John Bz
ca.1908+

Alb.6-96

“Nogales”
John Schreiber, Alfred D. Bz, John Bz
ca.1908+

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Photo Album Nº 6Córdoba Hills, 1900’s

Photo Album Nº 6
Córdoba Hills, 1900’s