 The history of Porto União has always been intrinsically connected with the Iguazu River and with what is considered its twin city União da Vitória.It all began in 1842 with the discovery of the 'Vau do Iguaçu' (literally meaning 'Iguazu Ford'), the best connection between the South and the Southeast Region, where the army troops and people from Rio Grande do Sul known as 'tropeiros' used to cross the river with their oxen in order to sell them in São Paulo and Minas Gerais.It was also an important stop point for those who used the river in transportation, receiving its first name