The Cuyo Region, located in the southwestern part of Argentina, was discovered by Francisco de Villagra and later on conquered by Pedro del Castillo in 1561.The Spanish army man was leading a campaign from Chile that had been entrusted to him by García Hurtado of Mendoza the year before.

On 17 April 1593, Martín García  of Loyola advised the King about the appointment of Luis Jofre of Loaysa and Meneses as Captain General Lieutenant for the Province of Cuyo. On 25 August 1594, he founded the city of San Luis de la Punta de los Venados or Punta de los Venados (the Deer’s Range). This name gave rise to the gentile noun “puntano” (rangers), which refers to those born in this province.

The town called Nueva Medina of Río Seco was located in El Talar, half a league to the west of the city of San Luis, as it is known at present. Later on, this town was relocated due to the floods in the Chorrillo delta during the rainy season.

After the creation of the Viceroyality of the River Plate by virtue of a Royal Decree issued on 1 August 1776, San Luis was incorporated within its territory. On 28 January 1782, it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Township of Cuyo pursuant to a Royal Ordinance.

On 5 August 1783, another ordinance was decreed whereby the Township of Cuyo was eliminated and the districts of San Luis, La Rioja, Mendoza, San Juan and Córdoba were all encompassed within the Township of Córdoba del Tucumán.

After the Revolution on 25 May 1813, the Second Triumvirate created the Township of Cuyo based in Mendoza on 29 November, at the expense of the Township of Córdoba. This new body comprised the districts of San Luis and San Juan. On 26th February 1820, the autonomy of the City of San Luis was declared after open discussions held by the people.

San Luis was represented by the Royal Spanish Coat-of-Arms until 1816. Nevertheless, authorities began using it alternatively with another coat-of-arms derived from the Seal of the Sovereign Assembly of 1813.

On 27 December 1836, Governor José Gregorio Calderón, commissioned the creation of a new seal to authenticate official documents. This stamp may be considered as the first genuine coat-of-arms of the Province of San Luis.