Puqueldón which gained town ("Villa") status at the end of the 18th century was mentioned as Pucolón in a document written in 1776.[3] The place is known for the strong faith of its people. Contemporary Spanish documents speak of a chapel here in 1785 and of a rustic village in 1787. In the later year a census established the population as 1,521 Spaniards and 74 natives. In the colonial period Puqueldón was under military government and had 4 towns of which Ichuac had the greatest population. Finally, in 1826, it became a department of Chiloé. By 1924 the town had a chapel, town square, post office and telegraph services, a civil registry and public schools. The present church at Plaza de Armas was built in 1940.
As in the rest of the archipelago, the population of Puqueldón were inspired by a deep religious faith and built 8 churches, each special in its own way. Some, like Ichuac, Aldachildo and Detif are more than 100 years old and have recently been declared World Heritage Sites, along with 15 other Chilote churches. Some have picturesque cemeteries with little shingled mausoleums.
Demographics
According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Puqueldón spans an area of 97.3 km2 (38 sq mi) and has 4,160 inhabitants (2,006 men and 2,154 women), making the commune an entirely rural area. The population fell by 2.1% (88 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
