and education. History In its earliest origins, the town was known as Amancio Cué. In 1786 the city became the site of a Jesuit Mission founded by Father Juan Francisco Amancio González y Escobar with the name Reducción Melodía (Melody Mission) in honor of the Governor Pedro Melo. The town was re-established during the 1841-1862 government of Carlos Antonio López and renamed Nueva Burdeos (New Bordeaux) by a colony of 120 French families. However, it did not prosper and was founded again the next year as Villa Occidental (Western Town). In the late 1860s, when Argentine soldiers occupied the city during the Paraguayan War, they called it Villa Argentina. Finally, the city was named Villa Hayes, in accordance with the decree signed by President Cándido Bareiro, on May 13, 1879. This name was chosen to honor the American President, Rutherford Hayes, who on November 13, 1878, had been asked to arbitrate between Paraguay and Argentina after the Paraguayan War. His award of the disputed Gran Chaco region to Paraguay made him a national hero. On November 12, 2018, Villa Hayes and Fremont, Ohio (home and burial site of President Hayes) became sister cities. Transportation The main access to the city is via the Road IX Carlos Antonio López or Transchaco Road. The principal public transport is by bus routes 46 and 5. Nicolás Bó Aerodrome (Sargento De Aviacion Nicolo Bo, ICAO:SGNB) is located near Villa Hayes, although it is used for training flights and does not have a paved runway or regular passenger service. Passenger airlines operate from Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, approximately 22 km southwest of Villa Hayes. Gallery References Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay, Distribuidora Arami SRL; 2007. Geografía del Paraguay, Primera Edición 1999, Editorial Hispana Paraguay SRL External links Secretaria Nacional de Turismo Dirección General de Encuestas, Estadísticas y Censos Correo Nacional Paraguayo Populated places in the Presidente Hayes Department Populated places established in 1786 Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes