Vila de São Jorge

The history of São Jorge is tied to quartz crystal mining. The crystal deposits were discovered in 1912. Demand grew during World War II, when the material was used in communication equipment. Prospectors and their families formed a village amid the mining and trading activity.

The Garimpão fire, in 1950, appears as an important episode in the settlement of the area. The community was known by names such as Baixa dos Veadeiros, Planada da Baixada and Baixada da Égua before São Jorge became established. With the fall in crystal prices and changes in land use, prospecting lost ground and the relationship with the National Park gained importance.

The village was made official in 1961. In 1991, a guide training course opened up an alternative livelihood for former prospectors. The Associação de Condutores de Visitantes da Chapada dos Veadeiros (ACV-CV) took part in this transition to tourism.

Today, the village is a base for exploring the park and the attractions of the São Miguel valley. The memory of crystal lives on in residents’ stories, in the paths and in the transformation of local work.