The district of Piedras Blancas was named after the milky color of the rocky quartz in the area that are quarried and manufactured into crushing wheels for grain mills. It was the centre of politics in the early third of the 20th century, as President José Batlle lived here.

The weekly Piedras Blancas Fair along Flores and Belloni is popular among locals and tourists, although it has developed a reputation for being a place to buy stolen goods.