with migrants from the Northeast. They were not very successful due to the limited interest of these communities in working in agriculture. As a result, some of the first attempts were made to introduce immigrant labor into coffee plantations. This initial attempt was not very successful, as foreign workers did not agree with the wage system in place. Many left the farms; some became sharecroppers, others bought small plots of land, or moved to cities in search of new opportunities.

Given the limited success of this system and in order to ensure the growth of coffee production in the state of São Paulo, the federal and state governments promoted official immigration of large groups of Europeans to the region. Unlike previous models, immigrants were not placed on farm colonies but on large properties acquired by the government and divided into plots of about 10 alqueires each. These plots were granted to immigrants so they could settle, produce food for their families, sell surplus products in cities, and especially cultivate coffee. Since full payment from immigrant settlements was not achieved, these plots were also granted to local residents

THE FIRST INHABITANTS

Around the mid-19th century, the region where Engenheiro Coelho is now located was a vast area of cerrado (savanna) typical of the interior of São Paulo. These lands were initially used for sugarcane cultivation to produce sugar, alcohol, and spirits, as well as subsistence crops such as corn, cassava, rice, and beans. Livestock raising (cattle, poultry, and pigs), wood extraction for construction and firewood, and supplying regional factories in Mogi Mirim and Campinas were also important activities. Firewood was also used to fuel train boilers, which began operating in the region in the 1870s.

School enrollment records from Mogi Mirim between 1878 and 1882 mention families connected to Engenheiro Coelho. One notable name is João Alves Carvalho Júnior, son of José Alves Carvalho, who also appears in records from the Secretariat of Agriculture.