The St-Anne-of-the-Fountains Plantation was established in the 18th century by
Domingos Barbosa de Araujo and his wife
Anna Brandoa. Located at the edge of
Bahia's "backcountry" (''''), it became a center for the cowboys on their way from the pastures there to the port of
Cachoeira. The cowboys' practice of starting annual fires to clear old brush eventually worsened the area's natural aridity to the point where the cattle industry collapsed, but by then Brazilians and foreigners had begun adopting the area as their home. A city began to develop with wide streets which were bordered by commercial houses serving the area's growing population. It was incorporated as the second city in Bahia after
the capital and the 31st in the entirety of
colonial Brazil. Today, Feira de Santana remains the second largest city in Bahia and an important stopping point for travelers. ==Culture==