After Yesterdays trip I returned to Ingeniero White and this time I was able to visit Museo Ferrowhite.

I arrived early at the morning.
The building is amazing, it used to be a power plant (Usina General San Martín). Most of the museum is on what was the workshop.
There’s a bit more of history at http://ferrowhite.bahiablanca.gov.ar/ , http://ferrowhite.bahiablanca.gov.ar/afuera.htm and http://ferrowhite.bahiablanca.gov.ar/museo.htm

We were only three, a couple of girls from Brazil and me. The guides gave us a very warm welcome and invited us to help setting up a workshop for the local kids. As we walked the gardens they started to narrate the history of the place and we chit chatted about ours.

After organizing the tables, chairs and materials we returned to the main building. The private tour was very nice and at a slow pace, giving us time to ask lots of questions and to observe as we pleased.

Some of the tooling was on display, part of it was from the power plant, the rest from the trains and dockyards. Among other things there was a bandsaw made entirely of wood save for a couple of things and really big lathes.

On the background of the third picture, a bit over exposed, there’s an exhibition mounted on tracks. Each one is a prop representing historical events. Behind them there’s an assortment of levers and chains, while one guide explains the other cranks a wheel to turn them into life. They were a bit rusty and we ended up panting after that part.

On an elevated set of rooms there’s a display of material related to a technical / trade school. Mostly about trains, signaling devices and part of general mechanic education.

Back on the main level there’s a room that simulates part of an old train station, complete with benches and a ticket office.
There’s also a very antique phone booth. You can get inside, the phone rings and upon picking up you get to hear some historical speeches.

As we were only three the guides gave us an exclusive tour of the storage room where they keep everything not in display.
I was able to see things I never expected to in real life, lots of antique radios and naval equipment, many Atwater Kent and even a record cutting lathe!

After the tour I walked a bit around the dock and some abandoned buildings then I went back to the city hoping to find that stash of old documents but they were gone.

I toyed again with the steam locomotive and a light fixture, then I went back to the hostel.

Also, this flyer reminds me a lot to Romantically Apocalyptic:

After the walk at Puerto Galván I went to Ingeniero White with hopes of visiting Museo Ferrowhite.

As it is customary on Mondays the Museum was closed but I grasped this a bit later. Ingeniero White is not that big and can be walked fully in a couple of days. I parked near the fire station and with only a backpack full of water I started to explore.

The town’s heritage is due mostly to the Train, Ships and industries related to them and it shows.

Near Plaza Roberto Achával (he was a violinist for Anibal Troilo’s orchestra) there’s an old steam locomotive, the “General Pueyrredón”. Compared to others on my previous trip this one is a bit well maintained, even if lots of pieces are missing. I climbed and walked a bit on the roof. Then I managed to get inside the engine by crawling under the wheels. It’s quite a nice view.

Not very far from it on the corner of Guillermo Torres and General Belgrano there’s an abandoned house.

Peeking from a grating on Guillermo Torres the inside looks like some sort of old dance hall:

The entrance on the other street was forced and I got inside. There’s a pile of garbage and other remains that seem like at least three or four people sleep from time to time here.

Above the kitchen there’s a mural painting depicting the docks and siloes. Given its age it looks wonderful. This place on its heyday would surely be amazing filled with people.

After lurking inside I asked an old couple that was across the street, they told me that it was a Tanguería and later a cinema.

Then I went upstairs. The mezzanine is in a very bad shape and I almost fall through it. The view is breathtaking.

There’s also a crawlspace. I didn’t try too much to explore it as it looked like it could crumble into pieces at any moment. Among other things there’s part of film stock for the 1955s movie The Magnificent Matador, at the left is seen the optical track.

I left the property and drifted a bit, there is a quite nice and small park with benches and games. Lots of houses had very nice fronts.

I also found a stash of old papers, looks like someone died and they family just dumped everything on the street. Now I regret not picking up that letter and the credentials as they were of interest to the museum. When I returned they were long gone.