The technological investment that took place in the San Rafael district, Mendoza province (Argentina), during the first middle of the XX century, produced an economic development in that region, as well as, the opportunity to gain terrain to the “desert”. This term has ideological connotations due to the history of the Argentinean Nation State process during the XIX century. However, in the particular case of Mendoza province, climatic and environmental characteristics lead to consider this region as a desert, causing a dichotomy between desert/oasis. Hence, the objective of this paper is to discuss the use of these concepts “desert/oasis” and analyzed their meanings in the particular case of the creation and development of San Rafael district and city, through historical data, using the digitalized Photographic Collection of Juan Pi (1903-1933), of the Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael, as support material.