Belterra

2 Rua Viveiros II

Belterra, 105 kilometers (65 miles) south of Santarém, will blow your mind, especially if your mind is American. When Henry Ford’s Fordlândia experiment bottomed out in 1945, the resident Americans moved north to Belterra, where the topography was far friendlier for their rubber-planting ambitions. Belterra failed as well, but today, it’s a fascinating living museum to the American presence in the region. Belterra boasts an entire American-built neighborhood that has been restored and preserved—American architecture, perfectly manicured gardens, white picket fences, fire hydrants, window screens—in idyllic Leave It to Beaver fashion. There’s even a 5 o’clock work whistle!

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