Catamarca Province Plata was created in 1776, Catamarca obtained the title of "Subintendencia" under the Salta intendency. In 1821, the province claimed its autonomy, and Nicolás Avellaneda y Tula (grandfather of Nicolás Avellaneda) was elected as the first governor of the province. The name is believed to come either from Quechua "cata" 'slope' and "marca" 'fortress', or from Aymara "catán" 'small' and "marca" 'town'. Catamarca remained isolated from the rest of Argentina by its mountains until 1888, when the rapidly expanding railways first appeared in the province. Attracting immigrants with its spacious, fertile valleys and dry, agreeable weather, Catamarca was soon favored
Jessica Mendoza Jessica Mendoza Jessica Ofelia Mendoza (born November 11, 1980) is an American former softball player and current sports broadcaster for ESPN. At Stanford University, Mendoza was a four-time First Team All-American outfielder for the Stanford Cardinal from 1999 to 2002, as well as a member of the United States women's national softball team from 2004 to 2010. She won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch. Mendoza owns numerous Cardinal records. She is currently a member of the broadcast team for