The initial settlement on the shore of the Paraná was called Puerto de Piedras. The town was founded by the initiative of some businessmen from nearby Rosario, after receiving authorization from the government of Santa Fe. The area was strategically important because it was adequate for a port and next to the Arroyo del Medio, which is the natural border with the Buenos Aires Province. The residents of Puerto de Piedras attended the foundation of the new town, with the presence of governor Juan Pablo López, on 14 February 1858. The name Villa Constitución was given to the town to honor the Assembly that had promulgated the Constitution of 1852.