As part of its plan to open its assets to communities near its operations, Codelco El Teniente invited nearly 500 residents of the Alborada de Rancagua, Olivar Bajo and Machalí neighborhoods to the heritage visits that the Division organized for Casa 100 in Coya. The activity, coordinated by the Sewell Foundation, will be repeated on the last weekend of every month.

Along with guided tours of the house, declared a typical area in 2017, tours were organized through the Central Population or American Camp and its facilities, such as the Electric Museum, the Palitroque and the Goldsmiths School.

Germán Sandoval, Sustainability and External Affairs Manager, explained that “this action not only highlights the heritage value of one of our most emblematic assets, but also underlines our commitment to generating value in the territory through integration and community participation.”

The initiative seeks to share with the community and educate new generations about the history of mining in Chile and to spread information about the life of the first families who settled in the Andes foothills, generating development through mining resources.

Promote local tourism

According to the Coya Historical Archives, the construction of House 100 was approved by the Braden Copper Company on April 22, 1930, as a residence for the company's top executives who were looking for a more pleasant climate than Sewell's to settle with their families. Its architecture reflects the style of the mansions of the Central South of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.

Cristián Sanhueza, Community Development Director of El Teniente, explained that “this opening is in line with our development strategy, which seeks not only the preservation of our historical assets, but also their activation. By promoting visits, we encourage local tourism, support small entrepreneurs in the sector, and promote education and culture in our region.”

A space to share

The visits are part of the divisional program "Connecting with Our Heritage", which aims to preserve, disseminate and enhance the heritage sites of our region, such as Sewell, Casa 100 and the Central Town of Coya.

María Teresa Burgos, a participant in the tour, said: “I really enjoyed the experience. The tour brought back many memories. It allowed me to recreate stories from years ago. I would recommend it to everyone.”

Agustina Rosales said that “I really liked the house. Its floor, its furniture and all its architecture.” Maite González stressed that “I loved it because it is much bigger than I imagined and more impressive than I thought.”

Thanks to the community visit program, in 2023 more than 4,500 people participated in 80 Coya visits, organizing trips for 33 community organizations and 25 educational establishments.