Before the European settlers' arrival, Chubut present territory was populated by indigenous groups, called tehuelches, whose main economic activity was the guanaco, choique or rhea hunting, and the roots and seeds gathering; with which they made flours. They also took advantage of shell fish and even of the whales that run aground in the coast. The indigenous groups behaved as if they were another element within their ecosystem. Their movement was conditioned to the animals seasonal changes looking for grasses and water. This caused a discontinuous occupation and a very limited incidence on the region. The first reference about this indigenous group was known through Hernando de Magallanes' expedition; that without disembarking went along Chubut's coasts. In 1535, Simón de Alcazaba, a Portuguese sailor, to the Spanish crown service, was the first European that arrived at Santo Domingo Cape, located at about 240 Km from where Puerto Madryn is now. Later on in 1670, the Jesuit missionaries Rosales and Mascardi Priests arrived from Chile, and in 1704 Van de Meeren too. They reached up to the Nahuel Huapí Lake. In 1774 some missionaries arrived from Buenos Aires. The priest's description about the place attracted the attention of Spain's rivals especially England and France, that began to exploit marine wolves and whales. Before this, in 1778 the Spanish King decided to inhabit the present San Matías Gulf area. Vertiz Viceroy ordered to Juan de la Piedra to take formal possession of the territory. The landing was done at Valdés Peninsula and Francisco de Biedma was asked to build a town called San José. The rivalries among the expeditionaries frustrated the plans; only 4 convicts stayed there, since the crew was made up by 40 convicts, two soldiers, and a troop corporal. In 1810, some tehuelches attacked the town and killed the residents. The territory was again under indigenous domain

Between 1826 and 1836, a British expedition under Parker King and Fitz Roy's control, accompanied by Charles Darwin, explored the region. There were several attempts to install pastoral colonies, but they didn't prosper. In 1863, thanks to the authorization and support of the minister Guillermo Rawson, Lewis Jones and Love J. Parry impelled the settlement of a group of welsh colonist. In 1865 in Bahía Nueva, today Puerto Madryn, a new welsh group landed. The lack of drinkable water obliged them to go along the Chubut River Valley, where they made a little town called Rawson, as a homage to the minister. Opossing to the slaughters and spoliations that had been usual up to that moment , the relationships with the Indians were peaceful. They were based on tolerance, the meat, furs and leather's trade, and the exchange of hunting and gathering techniques.

A short time before the Desert Conquest, the Patagonia Government was created. When Julio A. Roca's campaign finished and the limits with Chile were defined, the Patagonian territory was subdivided. According to the disposition, Chubut National Territory was assigned the area between the 42º and 46º South. In 1885, Luis Fontana, the first Chubut Governor, explored the Andean valleys amid big difficulties. As a consequence of this long trip, four new Welsh colonies appeared: Colonia 15 de Octubre, Colonia Sarmiento, Esquel and Trevelín. From Rawson city the population was extending to other agricultural centers as Trelew, Gaimán, Dolavon, etc. The port difficulties, obliged to implant the communication road in Puerto Madryn again, becoming the shipment jetty towards Buenos Aires market and to the exterior one too

In 1889, under Avellaneda's Law protection, Chubut Central Railroad was built; it joined Trelew with Puerto Madryn. In 1901, Roca President, ordered Comodoro Rivadavia's layout. Very near there, a group of boers displaced by England from South Africa, created the Escalante pastoral colony. This establishment was reinforced by the petroleum's discovery in 1913 and by the railroad inauguration. It united Sarmiento with Comodoro Rivadavia. Many rubble ways were done, so the communications were improved. Due to the border disputes with Chile, in 1944, the National Government decided to create the Gobernación Militar de Comodoro Rivadavia, that was integrated with some areas of Chubut and Santa Cruz national territories. In 1955 when Chubut became a province, the gobernación Militar disappeared.