Josip Vargović – the man who modernized Koprivnica

Born in a peasant family in 1866 in Peteranac in Koprivnica, Josip was a child of big dreams. Moving away from his birthplace, he goes to Varaždin before starting high school, where he finishes high school. In the 1890s, he assumed his role as a pravas, which greatly contributed to the development of the city of Koprivnica. Namely, Josip was then employed as a clerk in the City Savings Bank on Zrinski trg, and in 1902 he became the president of DVD and remained in this role until 1919. However, what sent a clear light of the modernization of the city of Koprivnica was Vargović in the position of mayor in 1906. Koprivnica then begins to shine with a new glow - the industrialization of this city begins in 1907, when the Danica Chemical Industry is built, while our mayor Vargović makes a significant contribution to the development of education. At his suggestion, a secondary school was opened, with the now impressive name of Temporary Small Real High School, and on November 17, 1907, he laid the foundations for the construction of a new modern high school building, which was opened on September 15, 1908, and with these projects, he significantly raised the elan of education. As an extremely versatile person, Vargović beautifies Koprivnica in whatever way he can - he plants a park on Florijanski trg, regulates the Koprivnica stream, and he clearly shows his concern for the residents of his town by building a pavilion for infectious and mental illnesses, in front of which he plants another park - because the better does nature itself heal? Ambitious and attentive, Josip Vragović directed Koprivnica and gave it life, covering all the essential areas for the foundation of the creation of a wonderful city.