Fazenda (Lajes Das Flores) - History

History

The first settlements In this region occurred In the zone called Eirinha Velha during the 16th Century. Few historians would refer to the area of Fazenda, until Father José António Camões elaborated on the history of the island; from the Ribeira Funda, He would recount,

"In about 55 arms-lengths, the river runs to the sea along a cliff called Fazenda...continuing to the south-southeast, In the same bay, is a lowland called Cherne. A short distance from this lowland is a small point called Ponta da Fazenda".

Later, Father Camões would note that the zone was occupied by 72 homes, 395 inhabitants In total (198 men, 197 women). He would go on to elaborate about the local industry, describing how the men were "hearty, robust and jovial", and responsible for the production of best roof-tiles on the island.

Albeit only administratively autonomous in 1919, it was religiously independent of Lajes das Flores in 1904. At that time, Senator André de Freitas had unsuccessfully attempted to promote the village to civil parish status. Similarly, and much later, Senator Machado Serpa had a similar idea; on December 9, 1919, organic law no.915 was promulgated creating the civil parish of Fazenda. On November 10, 1959, Bishop D. Manuel Afonso de Carvalho establishes Fazenda As a parochial church congregation with all the rights under Canonical Law.