According to historical records, quechuas taught Collasuyo Indians to pan for gold, and Spanish conquerors found traces of these activities in Andacollo, Punitaqui, Choapa, Petorca, Marga Marga, Lampa, Til Til, Lolol and Alhué. So much so, in 1712, a small mining town called Til Til was found. It was erected around a chapel and six gold mills.

In view of the gradual exhaustion of mineral deposits, population began to decrease, and Til Til was only a picturesque town with a small square and a church. However, it was on May 26, 1818, that it won historical fame, since it was in this place where Manuel Rodríguez, an independence guerrilla, was murdered. There are theories around the fate of his remains: some say they had been abandoned in the same location and then buried in the Til Til church. Then, in 1895, his body would have been moved to the General Cemetery of Santiago, where it remains until today, despite some scholars say that those remains do not belong to the guerrilla.

As homage, a monument to Manuel Rodríguez was erected at the entrance of Til Til, and the commemoration of his death has become a tradition for the town.

In 1863, the arrival of the Santiago-Valparaíso train and the construction of Polpaico, Rungue, Montenegro and Til Til stations was essential for the development of the almost forgotten town, because agricultural and mining products were commercialized, increasing population and trade relations with the capital. Due to these advances, the communal capital was moved closer to the railway, formed by a new square and a new church, but the old Til Til church along with the image of the guerrilla Manuel Rodríguez continue being an essential part of the cultural identity for Til Til people.

Currently, the Til Til church is known as Iglesia de La Merced, and forms part of the School 529 “La Merced.” Both premises are administered by the Congregation of Mercedarian Sisters.