A wealthy man by the time of Rosas' overthrow at the 1852 Battle of Caseros, he traveled in 1860 to the Atlantic Ocean shore, where he purchased over 136,000 hectares (340,000 acres) from Portuguese Consul and entrepreneur José Coelho de Meyrelles, and a meat salting house.

His enterprise met with the resistance of the gentry of Balcarce (then the county seat), though in 1865, he obtained a favorable ruling for the shoreline development from the local Justice of Peace, Juan Peña.

As this nomenclature was assigned over his objections, Peralta Ramos unofficially christened the community Mar del Plata (in the sense of "Sea of the River Plate region").

[3] Boasting seaside appeal, an iron pier and made self-sufficient by the salting house, as well as by a flour mill, bakery, blacksmith and other establishments, the community prospered.

"[4] He died in Mar del Plata in 1887, and his remains were buried initially at Saint Cecilia chapel and some years later reburied at the La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.