The legends and proposed histories of Tandil are as random and varied as the town itself. What is known, however, is that the region was occupied by a hunter/gatherer society until General Martìn Rodrìguéz conquered the area and built a military fort (Fuerte Independencia) in the mid-19th Century.
A large immigrant population has produced French, Italian, and even Chinese influences on  the architecture and culture of the town. Wealthy landowners too chose Tandil as the ideal location to express their quirky tastes, accounting for the diversity of suburban homes, from pagodas to English country cottages.
The construction of a main school and university campus brought many students and teachers to the area, adding further wealth. It was also the site of one of the country's first granaries, allowing Tandil to be among the first towns to eliminate its dependence on imports.