In 1905, the leprosy asylum of Olaria, founded by Santa Casa de Misericórdia, was transferred to Guapira. It stayed there until August 1928, when its 400 patients were moved to Santo Ângelo
(Araujo, H C S. 'A lepra e as organizações anti-leprosas do Brasil em 1936'. Mem. Inst. Osw Cruz, 1937:32, 140)