It is located in the Southern Zone. This region is brimming with incredible wildlife. Most of this consists of bird species that make this an amazing space for birdwatchers and nature lovers. The city of San Isidro is a major stop on your way further south. Since it is a significant drive, you will likely want to stop and grab a bite to eat or take a rest break. San Isidro serves as the gateway to the entire south of Costa Rica, including the Osa Peninsula, Chirripó, and La Amistad International Park.

In pre-Columbian times (before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century), this region was mainly inhabited by indigenous people from the Brunca group. Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, the southern lands were populated by several indigenous groups, among which the Borucas stood out. Evidence of their presence is the large number of "huacas" located throughout the canton.

In 1563, the Spanish conqueror Juan Vázquez de Coronado led an expedition to what is known today as the El General Valley.

The colonization of the El General Valley was mostly carried out by inhabitants of the Central Valley (where Cartago and San José are located) in the late 19th century. During this colonization, many people perished after being trapped in the freezing temperatures of Cerro de la Muerte (where the highway passes today), as there were no roads to reach this area.

Between 1870 and 1899, several families lived in the El General Valley. It was after 1900 that the settlements known as El General and Palmares were more seriously populated, followed by Rivas and Ureña; the latter grew rapidly starting in 1911. During the presidency of Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno, the shelters of Ojo de Agua, Cerro de la Muerte, and División were built, which in subsequent years served the pioneers of the Pérez Zeledón canton so well.

During the second presidency of Jiménez Oreamuno, the first state-paid teachers arrived in the El General Valley and were distributed among the few existing towns. There was an educational awakening; under the guidance and direction of priest Federico Maubach and teachers Gustavo Meza and Enrique Táuler, the inhabitants began a movement to convince the people of Dota (the canton of Santa María de Dota, to which the entire region belonged) to accept the separation. This led to the founding of the 19th canton of the province of San José by decree number 31 on October 9, 1931.