In the past, Brasis of the Gê group lived here, which today has as its remnants the Kaingangs and Xocléns. Traces are found in Morro dos Bugres, Furna da Araucaria, Morro do Crespo, Furna do Bottle. They were natives who built their homes in holes dug in the ground, usually on top of hills and stayed there until they went to other places as they had a nomadic lifestyle. “In the first decade of the 18th century, the Jesuits sent 80,000 cattle to the northeastern highlands”. (RUCHEL 2000: 41).

      From there, ways began to open up connecting the Vacaria dos Pinhais fields in Curitiba and São Paulo so that the captured cattle could be transported to market at the annual fair in Sorocaba. Thus, the drovers from the southeastern and southern regions of Brazil began to settle in this region, giving rise to the first properties.

      In the year 1732, the policy of granting sesmarias begins as a Portuguese strategy of domination of unoccupied territories and the sesmarias of Máximo, Santana, São Gonçalo and Lobo appear in this region, all owned by Ensign Joaquim José do Canto e Mello.

      The birth of the municipality of Cambará do Sul took place with the donation of 20 hectares of land to the church made by Dona Úrsula Maria da Conceição, who was part of one of the most traditional families in the region, in order to pay a promise to the Holy of his devotion to “Saint Joseph”. This act was performed on April 17, 1864.

      On December 23, 1902, São Francisco de Paula split from Santo Antonio da Patrulha and the then village of São José do Campo Bom became its 4th District. At the end of the 1930s, the district of São José do Campo Bom becomes a village and loses this name due to the fact that there is already a municipality with this name in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, thus acquiring the name of Vila Cambará due to the great number of trees with this name exist in its surroundings.

      On December 23, 1963, Cambará do Sul conquered its emancipation. In 1965, the city hall was installed, with Mr. Luiz de Almeida e Silva as mayor.

      The word Cambará is of Tupi-Guarani origin and means “rough bark leaf”. It is the name of a typical tree of the region. In the central square of Cambará do Sul it is possible to see the tree. Its bright green leaves are known for their medicinal power. They are great for fighting colds and strong coughs.

      Cambará do Sul is also known as the “Land of the Canyons”. The small Cambará do Sul is champion in the ranking of low temperatures, and its winter is always among the coldest places in Brazil.