Things To Do
Historical and Cultural Sites
Camino Real
Originally built in 1912 and listed on the National Historical Register. The 80-year old Tiffany glass dome, once part of the hotel's lobby, is now the showcase of the elegant Dome Bar. The hotel has hosted such guests as Pancho Villa, President Taft, and "Blackjack Pershing".
Ciudad Juárez, Old Mexico
No visit to El Paso would be complete without a stop in Juárez, just across the Rio Grande. You can park downtown and cross the Santa Fe Street bridge for a walk past nightclubs, fine restaurants, a betting lounge, and curio shops before coming to the city’s main thoroughfare, its old mercado (crafts mall) and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was established in 1659. Or you can hop on the Border Jumper trolley in front of the El Paso Convention & Performing Arts Center for a guided circular loop through Juárez that lets you get off and reboard at several designated stops along the way.
Concordia Cemetery
Founded in 1853, Concordia Cemetery began as a rancho founded by Hugh Stevenson. When his wife tragically died from blood poisoning after being gored by a pet deer, she became the first resident of what wa to become the largest cemetery in the southwest. Concordia is the resting place for over 60, 000 historical citizens and early pioneers of El Paso and Juarez. John Wesley Hardin, Reverend Joseph Tayes, the Mundeay family, Lawman John Selman and many more are forever residents of Concordia. Visit the regions own "Boot Hill" where you will "Walk Through History."
El Paso's Mission Trail
Located in El Paso’s Lower Valley this Trail is rich in history dating back 400 years. Sure to take your breath away these three adobe churches remain as living testaments to the faith of our Spanish and Indian ancestors. Established in 1862 the Ysleta Mission is the cornerstone of the Ysleta del Sur Indian Pueblo. Two miles east lies the Socorro Mission. The architecture of this mission reflects the culture, politics and insurmountable spirit of the early settlers of this vibrant town. Established in 1789 the San Elizario Chapel is an amazing paragon of late adobe church architecture in West Texas and New Mexico. It is an exquisite reflection of European architectural styles on the earlier, simpler box-like missions of the region.
El Paso Mission Trail Association is dedicated to the education, promotion and preservation of the missions at Ysleta, Socorro, and San Elizario Chapel. An exhibit, “Paths of the Padres-Discover El Paso’s Historic Missions” is on permanent display at the El Paso International Airport.
Fray Garcia Monument
Fray Garcia Monument, a 14-foot bronze sculpture by John Houser honoring the priest who founded the area’s first mission. Located in Pioneer Plaza at the corner of El Paso and San Francisco Streets downtown.
John Houser is outstanding for his mastery of both painting and sculpture. He was born in South Dakota where his father was assistant sculptor in the carving Mt. Rushmore. John studied in Spain and Italy. He is a professional member of the National Sculpture Society. The artist has exhibited throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. His work is in prominent public and private collections. His sculpture has been featured in the worldwide media including The New York Times, The London Sunday Telegraph, Southwest Art Magazine, Der Spiegel, and The Houston Chronicle. For over 5-years, a PBS TV filmmakers has been documenting the creation of the giant equestrian bronze. This will be the first time ever that the making of a colossal monument has been documented from the sequential processes - maquette, enlarging process, casting, finishing, installation and dedication.
Magoffin Home State Historic Site
Built in 1875 for pioneer, politician, and civic leader Joseph Magoffin, the nineteen-room adobe home containing original family furnishings is El Paso’s only historic house museum. Admission: adults $3; children under 12 free. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tours on the hour with the last tour beginning at 4 pm.
McCall Neighborhood Center
The McCall Center, located in the historic home of Marshall and Olalee McCall, contains a museum, gift shop and photographic collection on local and national Black History, and archives (OF?). The Center offers many sponsored programs, and serves as the meeting and gathering place for El Paso’s African-American community. Admission is free. Open Monday-Friday 10 a.m- 3 p.m., weekends by appointment or for special activities.
Mission Socorro
This mission is the best surviving local example of the Spanish Colonial/Mexican period. The Socorro Mission is distinguished by the fact that it is one of the oldest operating parishes in the United States. This mission represents the best elements of Indian and Spanish Design with its three-foot thick adobe walls and hand carved vigas.
Mission Ysleta
The site of this mission was first used as a refugee camp in 1675 for Pueblo Indians who were escaping Apache raiders. The Spanish settled Tigua Indian refugees of the Pueblo Revolt at Ysleta in 1680. The original church is believed to have been built of mud chinked logs and willow reeds and was named Corpus Christi de la Isleta del Sur. Tigua labor built a permanent mission from adobe in 1692. This mission is the oldest continuously used church in the United States.
Mt. Cristo Rey
on the west side off McNutt Road in Sunland Park, N.M. Atop an
800-foot peak stands a magnificent 29-foot statue of Christ by internationally acclaimed Spanish sculptor Urbici Soler, the site of an annual pilgrimage on Easter Sunday. Because of Mt. Cristo Rey’s proximity to Mexico, it’s best to hike up the mountain in a group.
Plaza de Los Lagartos
A fiberglass sculpture by Luis Jiménez honoring the city’s colorful past, when real alligators graced San Jacinto Plaza in the center of downtown. Bordered by Mills, Mesa, Oregon and Main Streets.
San Elizario Chapel
A Spanish military fort was established at San Elizario in 1789. A chapel was constructed as part of the fort compound. The present chapel was built in 1877 by parishioners and is still in use at the present time.
San Elizario is one of the best preserved and most authentic Spanish colonial townscapes in the Southwest.
The El Paso County Historical Society's Burges House
This is the famous home of Richard F. Burges. The Burges House also serves as a historical research center. The Classical Revival style house features four large columns in the front supporting the roof. Burges was city attorney in 1908 and wrote the city charter. He became a member of the Texas House of Representative in 1913. He was instrumental in the development of Carlsbad Caverns and the building of the Elephant Butte Dam. The home is now the headquarters for the El Paso County Historical Society.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST EQUESTRIAN BRONZE
This monument is the second of twelve sculptures comprising the XII Travelers Memorial of the Southwest as conceived by Sculptor John Sherrill Houser and depicting 400 years of Southwestern history at the Pass of the North. Commissioned as “Don Juan de Oñate, Founder of the Hispanic Southwest, 1598”, who gave our city its name.
In 1997, the El Paso City Council approved the model for the monument. It was enlarged 13 times (over 2,000 times by volume) to 36 feet in Mexico City by the sculptor, the associate sculptor and a crew of five. In 2003, the first of 500 molds were trucked to Shidoni Foundry in New Mexico for bronze casting. In February 2006, large bronze sections were transported to Eagle Bronze Foundry in Lander, Wyoming for assembly and patina. In April 2006, the completed monument arrived at the El Paso International Airport to await the completion of the base and foundation.
Monumental Facts
• Height: 36 feet (4 ½ life-size)
• Weight: 34,000 lbs
• Hooves: 2 feet wide x 2 ½ feet long
• Horse’s Eyes: as large as a soccer balls
• Horse’s Head: 12 feet long
• Horse’s Tail: 14 feet long
• Man’s Boot: 5 feet long
• Cost: 2 million dollars of which 60% was raised privately from generous donors with the balance provided by the El Paso International Airport.
• Major sponsor: The McKee Foundation -- monument to be dedicated in the memory of Robert E. and Evelyn McKee, pioneer El Pasoans who contributed greatly to the development and enhancement of our city.
Sculptor John Sherrill Houser
Associate Sculptor Ethan Taliesin Houser