At the outset, the area was inhabited by Native Americans of the Bato and Lleo-Lleo cultures, who had migrated to the valley because of the fertile land south of the Aconcagua River.

Before Almagro's arrival, a Spanish soldier from Peru called Gonzalo Calvo de Barrientos had been captured by the Quillotas and lived in the valley, learning the local language and culture during his captivity.

In the 16th century, attempts were made to found a village in the Quillota Valley with all the features and requirements ordered by the Spanish Crown, but it did not succeed.

[citation needed] Quillota's motto is "Ciudad creada con cariño" meaning "City created with care".

Due to the geological composition of the ground and the frequency of earthquakes, its architecture has remained low-rise (with a four-story maximum) and traditional.

As a commune, Quillota is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by a mayor who is directly elected every four years.

The municipal council has the following members:[1] Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Quillota is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Eduardo Cerda (PDC) and Andrea Molina (UDI) as part of the 10th electoral district, (together with La Ligua, Petorca, Cabildo, Papudo, Zapallar, Puchuncaví, Quintero, Nogales, Calera, La Cruz and Hijuelas).

[needs update] The commune is represented in the Senate by Ignacio Walker Prieto (PDC) and Lily Pérez San Martín (RN) as part of the 5th senatorial constituency (Valparaíso-Cordillera).