Henry C. Trost – The Architect Who Defined the Skyline

You may have seen his name on street signs or plaques in Downtown El Paso. That's because Henry C. Trost helped shape the very heart of the city. As co-founder of the architectural firm Trost & Trost, he designed more than 500 buildings across the American Southwest, with over 150 located in El Paso. His architectural style defined early 20th-century El Paso and remains visible throughout the downtown area.

Trost often worked from the El Paso Public Library, sketching elevations and watercolor renderings that became some of the city’s most iconic structures, including El Paso High School, El Paso Community College, multiple buildings at The University of Texas at El Paso, the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, country clubs, and the historic Hotel Paso del Norte.

By fusing elements of Mission, Art Deco, Spanish Colonial Revival and Romanesque design, Trost's work reflects unique and diverse architectural motifs. The Plaza Theatre, the Paso del Norte Hotel, the Anson Mills Building, the O.T. Bassett Tower, and many more of El Paso's most recognizable structures were all created by him. He also introduced contemporary construction materials, such as reinforced concrete, to the area.

When Trost arrived in 1903, El Paso was still a frontier town brimming with unrealized promise. He saw it as the perfect setting for his innovative visions—what he described as “Arid America,” a modern metropolis shaped by sustainable architecture, cutting-edge technology, and beauty. Over a century later, Trost’s influence continues to define El Paso’s skyline.

Anita Lee Blair – The Legislator Who Led with Courage

Born and raised in El Paso, Anita Lee Blair emerged as a pioneering force for women and the visually impaired. Following a tragic car accident in 1936 that resulted in her losing her sight, she made history as the first individual in El Paso to embrace the companionship of a guide dog. In 1952, she carved her name into history as the first blind woman to be elected to any state legislature, as well as the first woman from El Paso to secure a seat in the Texas House.

Throughout her tenure, she championed initiatives for increased teacher salaries, advocated for enhanced safety measures, and sought funding to revitalize the Texas School for the Deaf. Blair, a steadfast champion for the disabled, continued to engage with the community and boldly pursued the position of El Paso County Judge at the remarkable age of 86. Her remarkable life came to an end in 2010, and she now rests in the Texas State Cemetery.

Don Haskins – The Coach Who Changed the Game

Though basketball and politics may seem worlds apart, Don Haskins—known as “The Bear”—made a lasting impact on civil rights from the sidelines. Haskins became the head coach of Texas Western College (now The University of Texas at El Paso) in 1961. At that time, most major college basketball teams in the South were still segregated. He actively sought out African American players, going against the norm. This led to one of the most important times in the history of sports.

Haskins did something very different on March 19, 1966, in the NCAA Championship game. He started five black players against the top-ranked, all-white University of Kentucky team. Fans of both teams were shocked when Texas Western beat them 72–65. The game became a strong sign of race progress in America. Haskins often said he was only trying to win, but his deeds helped break down race walls in college sports better than words ever could. The moment lived on in the 2006 Disney movie Glory Road and the best-selling 2005 book of the same name that Haskins and Dan Wetzel wrote together.

Haskins went on to coach at UTEP for 38 years, going 719–353 with 32 winning seasons, 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament, and 7 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) titles (1970, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1992). His teams always played well, and some of his players, like Jim Barnes (the first pick in the 1964 NBA Draft), Tim Hardaway, and Antonio Davis, went on to have great careers in the NBA.

In 1997, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame by the Jim Thorpe Association. Haskins passed on September 7, 2008. In 1998, to honor his life and contributions, UTEP renamed its main sports arena to the Don Haskins Center. The arena continues to be a living memorial to one of the best college basketball teachers and a quiet civil rights leader. The street that goes between UTEP's basketball courts is called "Glory Road," another way to remember that famous title team and the coach who led them.

Carmen Felix – The Fearless Advocate for Housing

The life's work of the strong housing advocate Carmen Felix, who was known as "El Paso's undisputed, No. 1 hell-raiser," was characterized by her devotion to the Segundo Barrio. Her involvement started in the classroom, not during a rally, but when she saw firsthand the terrible impact that housing instability had on her students' families. She saw directly the fast destruction of tenement structures, which left inhabitants stranded.

Felix became famous for her bold tactics, from organizing building occupations to prevent demolitions to leading the 1970s tent city protest against urban eviction. Arrested numerous times on charges ranging from trespassing to alleged threats, she never wavered in her commitment. Proudly Chicana, she believed deeply in the power of community action.

She began purchasing properties to provide inexpensive dwellings directly to people while also advocating for community gardens in her role as executive director of the charity Southside Low-Income Housing Corp. "I just don't accept things as they are," she said to the El Paso Times in 1988, expressing her strong but simplistic viewpoint. "And I feel it is our duty as citizens to make changes for the better." By refusing to accept injustice, Carmen Felix gave her community the strength to stand up for their right to a house, and her legacy lives on inspiring many in the community.