New Immissions/Updates:
boundless - educate - edutalab - empatico - es-ebooks - es16 - fr16 - fsfiles - hesperian - solidaria - wikipediaforschools
- wikipediaforschoolses - wikipediaforschoolsfr - wikipediaforschoolspt - worldmap -

See also: Liber Liber - Libro Parlato - Liber Musica  - Manuzio -  Liber Liber ISO Files - Alphabetical Order - Multivolume ZIP Complete Archive - PDF Files - OGG Music Files -

PROJECT GUTENBERG HTML: Volume I - Volume II - Volume III - Volume IV - Volume V - Volume VI - Volume VII - Volume VIII - Volume IX

Ascolta ""Volevo solo fare un audiolibro"" su Spreaker.
CLASSICISTRANIERI HOME PAGE - YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms and Conditions
El Paso, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

El Paso, Texas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"El Paso" redirects here. For other uses, see El Paso (disambiguation).
El Paso, Texas
Skyline of El Paso, Texas
Official flag of El Paso, Texas
Flag
Official seal of El Paso, Texas
Seal
Nickname: Star of the Southwest," "The Sun City," and "Land of the Sun
Location in the state of Texas
Location in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 31°47′25″N, 106°25′24″W
County El Paso County
Government
 - Mayor John Cook
Area
 - City  250.5 sq mi (648.8 km²)
 - Land  249.08 sq mi (645.11 km²)
 - Water  1.46 sq mi (3.78 km²)
Elevation  3,740 ft (1,140 m)
Population (2005)
 - City 598,590
 - Density 337.3/sq mi (873.7/km²)
 - Metro 736,310
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
 - Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
Website: www.elpasotexas.gov

El Paso is the county seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas and part of the American Southwest. According to the 2005 U.S. Census population estimates, the city had a population of 598,590 and is the sixth-largest city in Texas and the 21st-largest city in the United States. Its metropolitan area covers all of El Paso County and has a population of 736,310.

El Paso is home to the University of Texas at El Paso (founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy and receiving university status 1967). Fort Bliss, a major United States Army installation, lies to the east and northeast of the city, extending north up to the White Sands Missile Range. The Franklin Mountains extend into El Paso from the north and nearly divide the city into two sections.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-Columbian Era

Archeological evidence at the Keystone Wetlands and Hueco Tanks sites indicates thousands of years of human settlement within the El Paso region. The Manso, Suma, and Jumano Indians were identified as present by the earliest Spanish explorers. These people ultimately became assimilated into the local settler population, becoming part of the Mestizo culture that is prevalent in Mexico and is visible throughout the Southwest. Others integrated themselves with the different Mescalero Apache bands that for many years roamed the region.

[edit] Arrival of Spaniards

Downtown El Paso in 1908.
Downtown El Paso in 1908.

El Paso del Norte (the present day Ciudad Juárez), was founded on the south bank of the Río Bravo del Norte, (Rio Grande) in 1659. Being a grassland then, agriculture flourished and vineyards and fruits constituted the bulk of the regional production. The Spanish Crown and the local authorities of El Paso del Norte had made several land concessions to bring agricultural production to the northern bank of the river in present day El Paso. However, the Apaches dissuaded production and settlers to cross the river. The water provided a natural defense against them.

In 1680, after the succesful Pueblo Revolt that decimated the Spanish colonies in northern New Mexico, El Paso became the base for Spanish governance of the territory of New Mexico. From El Paso, the Spaniards led by Diego de Vargas, grouped once again to recolonize the precious Spanish territory centered in Santa Fe.

The first successful agricultural enterprise that we have records on was Ponce de León Ranch. The land was granted in 1825.

[edit] Mexican Independence

Although American traders and trappers had visited the area since 1823, American settlers began to stay for good after the Mexican Cession in 1848.

[edit] Texas Independence & the effects of the Mexican-American War

During the Texas Republic period, the area was disputed between the Mexican State of Chihuahua and The Republic of Texas. El Paso was legally a part of Mexico. Sam Houston claimed all of the land above the Rio Grande. Mexico still considered El Paso a part of Mexico.

A trading post called Franklin was established during this time some miles away from Ponce's Ranch. Other settlements were also scattered across the region and eventually became part of El Paso itself. Ciudad Juárez dropped the old name of El Paso del Norte and El Paso, Texas kept it.

El Paso was platted in 1859, but grew very slowly due to its remoteness.

[edit] The Confederate States of America

During the Civil War, Texas, along with most other Southern states, seceded from the Union to join the Confederate States of America in 1861. It was also during the war between the states that El Paso and its military outposts were important in protecting the Confederacy's claim to the territory of New Mexico. The Confederate cause was met with great support from El Paso residents. After the war was concluded, the town's population began to grow.

[edit] Real Wild West

With the arrival of Southern Pacific railroads in 1881, the population boomed to 10,000 by 1890 census. With a tempting green valley and a nearly perfect climate year-around, the town attracted a constant stream of newcomers: gamblers, gunfighters, thieves, cattle and horse rustlers, murderers, priests, Chinese railroad laborers, prostitutes, and entrepreneurs.

During the Wild West era, El Paso was dubbed as the "Gunfight Capital of the World"[citation needed] due to its great remoteness and lawlessness. El Paso attracted an intimidating town marshal, Dallas Stoudenmire, who was known to shoot first and ask questions later. The "Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight" took place here on April 14, 1881. This was prior to the Gunfight at the OK Corral. Dallas Stoudenmire, the sixth marshal in eight months, was hired to "clean" and civilize a remote, violent and wild town. Stoudenmire was an effective marshal; he instilled fears by terror to control the City Council. With his fierce reputation and dexterity with his pistols, he intimidated a violence-hardened town. On May 28, 1882, the City Council announced they were firing the marshal. When Stoudenmire learned of this, he entered the Council Chambers. Upon seeing Stoudenmire, the council members remained quiet and became terrified. Stoudenmire strolled up and down the chamber as he scolded, cussed profanities and threatened to shoot. In a blink of eyes, he pulled out and twirled his pistols as he growled, "I can straddle every God-damn aldermen on this council!" Council members quickly voted unanimously to retain Stoudenmire as their town marshal. Stoudenmire glared at them for a few seconds before he calmed down and put away his pistols. Knowing Stoudenmire's fearsome reputation, the Mayor diffused a tense situation when he called for an abrupt adjournment. Stoudenmire exited the Chamber. A potential fatal incident was averted.

Prostitution and gambling flourished until World War I, when the Department of the Army pressured El Paso authorities to crack down on vice. Many of these activities continued in neighboring Ciudad Juárez, especially during the Prohibition, which benefitted bars and saloons on the Mexican side of the border.

[edit] The Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) began in 1910, and Ciudad Juárez was the focus of intense fighting. Occasionally, stray shots killed civilians on the El Paso side. El Paso became a center of intrigue as various exiled leaders including Victoriano Huerta and (for a time) Pancho Villa were seen in the city. In January 1914, General John Joseph Pershing was stationed at Fort Bliss, where he was responsible for security along the border and mounted the ill fated Pancho Villa Expedition against Pancho Villa after the infamous raid on Columbus, New Mexico on March 9, 1916. The cavalry under Pershing were paid in gold, in competition with Pancho Villa, who offered $50 per machine gun. (When World War I began, Pershing's cavalry had to remain in the Army for the duration of the war, and were no longer paid in gold.)

[edit] The Roaring 20s to World War II

Beginning in the 1920s and into the 1930', El Paso became the birthplace of several locally and nationally well-known businesses and events. In 1930, Conrad Hilton opened his first highrise hotel in El Paso, the now Plaza Hotel. The Plaza Theatre opened on September 12, 1930. In 1934, Walter T. Varney and Louis Mueller established the passenger airline called Varney Speed Lines in El Paso and operated out of the El Paso International Airport[citation needed]. After the airline was taken over in 1937 by Robert Six, he relocated its headquarters to Denver, Colorado and renamed it with the more recognized name of Continental Airlines, as it is known to this day. Although Continental Airlines would have its headquarters stationed in Denver, El Paso was still a major hub for the airline up until the late 1980s. Additionally, the college football Sun Bowl has been held in El Paso since 1935.

[edit] Post-War Era

After World War II, Werner von Braun and other German rocket scientists were brought to Fort Bliss in El Paso, along with many of the V2 rockets and rocket parts, starting the American rocket program; they were later moved to Huntsville, Alabama. One V2 rocket is still on display at Fort Bliss. The popular drink, the Margarita, was another famous invention given a home in El Paso. It was first mixed in the El Paso-Juárez area at Tommy's Place Bar on July 4, 1945 by Francisco "Pancho" Morales. Morales originally left bartending in Mexico to become a US citizen. He is listed in the Texas Almanac's Sesquicentennial Edition (1857-2007, under M) Obituaries of famous Texans. His story is best captured in a October 1973 Texas Monthly article "The Man Who Invented the Margarita" by Brad Cooper, and later in his obituary in the Washington Post on January 2,1997.

From World War II until the 1980s, El Paso boomed into a sprawling city. The expansion of Fort Bliss from a frontier post to a major Cold War military center brought in thousands of soldiers, dependents, and retirees. The industrial economy was dominated by copper smelting, oil refining, and the proliferation of low wage industries (particularly garment making), which drew thousands of Mexican immigrants. New housing subdivisions were built, expanding El Paso far to the west, northeast and east of its original core areas.

With the election of Raymond Telles[1], the city's first Hispanic mayor in 1957, the demand for civil rights amongst the Hispanic population began. Stretching into the tumultuous 1960s, and converging with America's anti-war and civil rights demonstrations, great strides were achieved that became evident in the 1970s.

In 1963, the U.S. agreed to cede a long-disputed part of El Paso to Mexico due to changes in the course of the Rio Grande, which forms the international boundary between the two countries. The area boundaries were rationalized and the Rio Grande was re-channelled. A former island in the river was re-developed. The Chamizal National Memorial, administered by the National Park Service is now a major park in El Paso; El Chamizal is the corresponding park in Juárez.

Since 1990, the local economy has been adversely affected by competition with low wage labor abroad, and the closure of the main copper smelter due to fluctuant metal prices, and excessive lead contamination found throughout many of the surrounding areas. The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994 affected the local economy, with transport, retail, and service firms expanding, and the accelerated loss of many industrial jobs. El Paso is sensitive to changes in the Mexican economy and the regulation of cross border traffic; the Mexican peso devaluation of late 1994 and increasingly stringent controls of cross border traffic after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack were felt strongly in El Paso. (In contrast to most every other border city and popular belief, the commercial traffic at the ports of entry went un-interrupted during the immediate aftermath of 9/11.)

Since the 1849 establishment of Fort Bliss in the El Paso area, El Paso has seen many booms in population. More recently, the BRAC commission has marked the base to receive more the 18,000 troops, which is estimated to add 547 million dollars to the El Paso economy. The expected 50,000 people destined for El Paso (18,000 troops & 30, 000 family members) will bring to El Paso a rise in population that has not been seen since the Mexican Exodus of the 1910s in which the town's population grew by at least 60,000 people that were trying to escape the carnage of the Mexican Revolution. El Paso is also home to the El Paso International Airport and a high school dedicated to Captain John L. Chapin.

Recent city-wide projects funded through the election of bonds have once again pushed the urban sprawl onward for El Paso. The most prominent of these projects was the complete refurbishment of the Plaza Theatre in Downtown El Paso. The project was completed on March 17, 2006 at a cost of $38 Million. The completion of a new freeway on the city's eastern edge the city should experience the historical urban sprawl that accompanies such freeway construction. With the arrival of military personnel and expansion of Biggs Army Airfield, the city is also constructing a new "Inner Loop" (Loop 375 to Fred Wilson Avenue) that will connect the eastern section of the city to the Army Airfield. Once completed, Biggs Army Airfield is expected to be larger than the current space at Fort Bliss.

Also of concern is how the large increases of population in Cd. Juárez will affect El Paso. Historically, these two towns have always been interconnected. Already evident is the air quality and traffic flowing inside the El Paso area, for these respsective figures reflect the values of a metro area that is populated by at least two-million people. Many underestimate the area's infrastructure needs by allocating resource values for only the El Paso population and not the metropolitan population that is interconnected chiefly through the actions of commerce that stems from El Paso, Cd. Juárez, and the New Mexico cities of Las Cruces, Santa Teresa, Sunland Park and Alamogordo.

[edit] Geography

A panoramic view of El Paso, Texas from the north.
A panoramic view of El Paso, Texas from the north.
Downtown El Paso
Downtown El Paso
Central El Paso as seen from Scenic Drive.
Central El Paso as seen from Scenic Drive.
El Paso (top) and Ciudad Juárez (bottom) as seen from earth orbit; the Rio Grande River is the thin line separating the two cities through the middle of the photograph. A portion of the Franklin Mountains can be seen in the upper-left. Image courtesy of NASA.
El Paso (top) and Ciudad Juárez (bottom) as seen from earth orbit; the Rio Grande River is the thin line separating the two cities through the middle of the photograph. A portion of the Franklin Mountains can be seen in the upper-left. Image courtesy of NASA.

El Paso is located at 31°47′25″N, 106°25′24″W (31.790208, -106.423242)GR1. It lies at the intersection of three states (Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua) and two countries (the USA and Mexico). It is the only major Texas city on Mountain Time. When Ciudad Juárez was on Central Time[citation needed], it was possible to celebrate New Year's twice in the same evening by travelling a very short distance across the state and into another country. Both cities are now on Mountain Time.

The city's elevation is 3,800 feet (1140 m) above sea level. The rustic North Franklin Peak towers at 7,192 feet above sea level and is the highest peak in the city. The peak can be seen from 60 miles in all directions. Additionally, this mountain range is home to the famous natural red-clay formation, the Thunderbird, from which the local Coronado High School gets its mascot's name. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 648.9 km² (250.5 mi²).

The 24,000-acre Franklin Mountains State Park is the largest urban park in the United States and resides entirely in El Paso, extending from the north and neatly dividing the city into several sections along with Fort Bliss and the El Paso International Airport.

The Rio Grande Rift, which passes around the southern end of the Franklin Mountains, is where the Rio Grande River flows. The river defines the border between El Paso from Ciudad Juárez to the south and west until the river turns north of the border with Mexico, separating El Paso from Doña Ana County, New Mexico. An extinct volcano, Mt. Cristo Rey rises within the Rio Grande Rift just to the west of El Paso on the New Mexico side of the Rio Grande River. Other volcanic features include Kilbourne hole and Hunt's hole, which are Maar volcanic craters 30 miles (50 km) west of the Franklin Mountains.

El Paso is surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the easternmost section of the Basin and Range Region.

[edit] Areas of El Paso

With the city limits are traditional suburban areas that are located on the far eastern and western edges.

Suburban enclaves outside the city include Anthony, Socorro, San Elizario, Horizon City, Fabens, Sparks, Homestead Meadows, Westway, Clint, Canutillo and Montana Vista.

  • New Mexico suburbs

Other El Paso suburban areas that are located in New Mexico include Anthony, Sunland Park, and Chapparal. Although these New Mexican areas lie adjacent to El Paso County, they are considered to be part of the Las Cruces, New Mexico metropolitan area by the United States Census Bureau [1].

[edit] Climate

Snow on Franklin Mountain, El Paso, a rare scene in desert
Snow on Franklin Mountain, El Paso, a rare scene in desert
  • Temperatures range from an average high of 55 F (13 °C) and an average low of 28 °F (−2 °C) in January to an average high of 97 °F (36 °C ) and an average low of 68 °F (20 °C) in August.
  • The city's record high is 114 °F (45.5 °C), and its record low is −8 °F (−22 °C).
  • The sun shines 302 days per year on average in El Paso, 83 percent of daylight hours, according to the El Paso Weather Bureau. It is from this that the city is nicknamed, The Sun City. The natives find the weather attractive though temperatures can reach 100+ degrees F.
  • Rainfall averages 8.74 inches (223 mm) per annum, most of which occurs during the summer from July through September and is predominantly caused by by monsoonal flow from the Gulf of California. During this period, winds originate more from the south to southeast direction and carry moisture from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico into the region. As this moisture moves into the El Paso area (and many other areas in the southwest), a combination of orographic uplift from the mountains, and daytime heating from the sun, causes thunderstorms to develop across the region. This is what causes most of the rain in the El Paso area.

[edit] Flooding

Although the average annual rainfall is only about 8 inches, many parts of El Paso are subject to occasional flooding during intense summer monsoons. In late July and early August 2006, over 15 inches of rain fell in a week, overflowing all the flood-control reservoirs and causing major flooding city-wide. The city staff has estimated damage to public infrastructure as $21 million, and to private property (residential & commercial) as $77 million [2]. Much of the damage was associated with development in recent decades in arroyos protected by flood-control dams and reservoirs, and the absence of any storm drain ultility in the city to handle the flow of rain water.

[edit] Maps

[edit] Temperature statistics

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Extreme High 80°F (27°C) 83°F (28°C) 89°F (32°C) 98°F (37°C) 104°F (40°C) 114°F (46°C) 112°F (44°C) 108°F (42°C) 104°F (40°C) 96°F (36°C) 87°F (31°C) 80°F (27°C)
114°F (46°C)
Avg High 57°F (14°C) 63°F (17°C) 70°F (21°C) 79°F (26°C) 87°F (31°C) 96°F (36°C) 95°F (35°C) 93°F (34°C) 88°F (31°C) 79°F (26°C) 66°F (19°C) 58°F (14°C)
78°F (27°C)
Avg Low 31°F (-1°C) 35°F (2°C) 41°F (5°C) 49°F (9°C) 58°F (14°C) 66°F (18°C) 70°F (21°C) 68°F (20°C) 62°F (17°C) 50°F (10°C) 38°F (3°C) 32°F (0°C)
50°F (10°C)
Extreme Low -8°F (-22°C) 8°F (-13°C) 14°F (-10°C) 23°F (-5°C) 31°F (-1°C) 46°F (8°C) 57°F (14°C) 56°F (13°C) 42°F (6°C) 25°F (-4°C) 1°F (-17°C) 5°F (-15°C)
-8°F (-22°C)
Avg Precipitation in. 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 0.7 0.3 0.6
8.6
Source: Weatherbase

[edit] Politics

El Paso City and County vote overwhelmingly Democratic, like most of the Texas–Mexico border area and urban Texas. The El Paso metropolitan area is represented by Silvestre Reyes (D-El Paso) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-San Antonio) in the U.S. House; in the Texas State House by Democrats Paul Moreno, Chente Quintanilla, Norma Chavez, Joe Pickett and Republican Pat Haggerty; and in the State Senate, by Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso). The El Paso County Judge is Anthony Cobos (Democrat). The mayor of El Paso is John Cook. On December 1, 2006, Reyes was tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee for the 110th Congress which convened in January 2007.

[edit] Business

El Paso is the Operational Headquarters of Helen of Troy Limited, a Nasdaq listed company that manufactures personal health care products under many labels such as OXO, Dr. Scholls, Vidal Sassoon, Sunbeam, among others. Also headquartered in El Paso is Western Refinery, listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

El Paso is also the corporate headquarters to Spira Footwear, and the World Headquarters to the El Paso Saddleblanket Co.

Until 1996, El Paso was also home to El Paso Natural Gas Company. Now in Houston, Texas under the name El Paso Corporation.

Farah Clothing Company was also headquartered in El Paso until 1998.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 563,662 people, 182,063 households, and 141,098 families residing in the city. The population density was 873.7/km² (2,263.0/mi²). There were 193,663 housing units at an average density of 300.2/km² (777.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.6% White, 3.12% African American, 0.82% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 18.15% from other races, and 3.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 76.62% of the population.

There are 182,063 households, out of which 42.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.54.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,124, and the median income for a family was $35,432. Males had a median income of $28,989 versus $21,540 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,388. About 19.0% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.8% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.

According to the 2005 United States Census Bureau population estimates, the El Paso metropolitan area had a population of 721,598. Combined with the population of the neighboring Juárez metropolitan area, the total metropolitan area had a population of 2,280,782, comparable to the Denver and Munich (Germany) metropolitan areas. As of October, 2006, El Paso is ranked the third safest city in the US with a population greater than 500,000 according to an independent private research and publishing company based in Kansas [3].

[edit] Sports

[edit] Major League teams

El Paso is, as of 2006, the 2nd largest U.S. city (but not metropolitan area) by population (behind Austin, Texas) not to have a team in one of the big four professional leagues (NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB). El Paso hosts the annual NCAA Brut Sun Bowl, boxing matches, and occasional NBA and NFL preseason games. El Paso is also the site of the Borderland Derby horse race held in the nearby suburb of Sunland Park.

[edit] Independent teams

Other sports include independent league teams like:

[edit] Wrestling

Five WWE wrestlers have come out of El Paso, Texas

Two NWA wrestlers has come out of El Paso, Texas

[edit] Arenas

  • UTEP owns the two largest stadiums in El Paso:
    • Don Haskins Center has a capacity of 12,222 and is used for UTEP's basketball teams and special events such as concerts and boxing matches. It is also where the graduation ceremony takes place for UTEP students.
    • Sun Bowl Stadium has a capacity of 52,000 and is home to the UTEP Miners football team, coached by Mike Price. It is also home to the annual Brut Sun Bowl, soccer games, and special events such as concerts.
  • Future major arena venues proposed include:
    • Downtown Arena: (Conventions/Sports/Multi-purpose) Included in the controversial Paso Del Norte Group Downtown Rejuvination Proposal. The future arena is to be built on the corner of W. San Antonio Ave. and S. Santa Fe St. adjacent to the current Civic Center. Little has been made known of what accommodations the new arena will have, or when construction will begin.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public school districts

[edit] Private and parochial schools

There are several parochial schools within the El Paso Catholic Diocese that include the following:

Other private schools include the following:

[edit] Two-year colleges

[edit] Four-year colleges

[edit] Hospitals

  • Del Sol Medical Center-East
  • Las Palmas – Del Sol Rehab. Hospital
  • Las Palmas Medical Center-West
  • Horizon Specialty Hospital
  • Thomason Hospital
  • Rio Vista Rehab. Hospital
  • Sierra Medical Center
  • Southwestern General Hospital
  • William Beaumont Army Medical Center
  • Providence Memorial Hosptial

[edit] Culture

Stone of the Sun, replica of the original in Chapultepec Park, México D.F. Presented to the City of El Paso by Pemex.
Stone of the Sun, replica of the original in Chapultepec Park, México D.F. Presented to the City of El Paso by Pemex.
  • Tom Lea (1906-2001) was a artist of national repute, and author of The King Ranch. He frequently collaborated with Carl Hertzog, a typographer. Quote from Laura Bush "Tom Lea's Rio Grande also hangs in the Oval Office and it reminds the President of our good friend. Tom Lea was a gifted El Pasoan artist and writer who died at age 97 shortly after my husband's inauguration. The President likes to quote Tom and he used his favorite lines in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Tom once said, 'We live on the East side of the mountain. It is the sunrise side, not the sunset side. It is the side to see the day coming; not the side to see the day that is gone. The best day is the day coming with eyes wide open and the heart grateful.'"
  • Urbici Soler, a Spaniard, came to reside permanently in El Paso, at the behest of Father Lourdes Costa, to carve the massive crucifix on top of Mt. Cristo Rey. This is still the site of annual pilgrimages in October. He became a naturalized American citizen who died and was buried in El Paso.
  • Sarah Ioannides is the current Music Director and Conductor of the El Paso Symphony, which is in its 75th season, the oldest symphony in Texas.
  • Don Juan de Oñate ordered the Spanish expedition party to rest and announced North America's first Thanksgiving Mass celebration on April 30, 1598. The Pilgrim's Thanksgiving didn't take place until 1620s in Massachusetts. Celebrating 409th year of El Paso's existence, a large ceremony will take place on April 20, 2007 at the El Paso International Airport. A 34-ton and 44 feet tall bronze statute of Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate holding "La Toma" declaration, mounted atop his horse will be unveiled to the public. It can be seen at the airport's entrance and is the world's largest equestrian statue.
  • Viva El Paso! is the annual returning musical which celebrates El Paso's rich cultural history through dance, dramatic scenes, narration and songs. The story begins with the early Indian settlement and takes through Spanish conquest, Mexican domination and the wild wild South-West. This *two hour lasting outdoor musical is staged at the McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater. Performances in Summer.

[edit] Literature

Recognized for its contributions to American literature, El Paso has been home to:

[edit] The Tigua Indians of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

Located within the city limits lies the autonomous Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Nation, with its own governing body. It is one of the few indigenous groups that have survived the historical disregard and abuse by the state of Texas. Very close to tribal lands is the sacred site of Hueco Tanks. The Tigua have been at their current site since the successful 1680 Pueblo Revolt in where the the retreating Spaniards fleeing south stopped at the Isleta Pueblo and forced into capativity the ancestors of the Tigua.

Danny Senclare is the current Governor for the Tiguas a new governor is elected every two years

[edit] Points of interest

Street scene in Downtown El Paso, Texas.
Street scene in Downtown El Paso, Texas.

[edit] Area museums

[edit] Sites within the city limits

[edit] Sites within the surrounding area

[edit] Transportation

El Paso is served by El Paso International Airport, Amtrak via the historic Union Depot, Interstate 10, U.S. Route 54 (known locally as the "North-South Freeway" or officially as the Patriot Freeway), U.S. Route 180 (Montana Avenue), U.S. Route 85 (Paisano Drive), U.S. Route 62 (also Montana Avenue), Texas Loop 375, Texas Loop 478 (Copia Street-Pershing Drive-Dyer Street), numerous Farm to Market Roads (FM's) and the city's original thoroughfare, Texas 20 (formerly U.S. Route 80).

[edit] Airports

[edit] Passenger rail

[edit] Major highways

[edit] Mass transit

  • Sun Metro Mass Transit system operates a system of medium to large capacity natural gas powered buses all around the city of El Paso. Amusingly, before 1987 Sun Metro was named Sun City Area Transit (SCAT).
  • El Paso County Transit makes trips with small capacity buses mainly in the Eastern El Paso area.
  • Proposed is a highly controversial light rail system (Sun Metro Area Rapid Transit) that will connect the Central Business District's border point-of-entries to the city's historical thoroughfare, Texas Highway 20. If materialized, the light-rail system will connect the Central Business District's border point-of-entry, Paso del Norte Port of Entry/Puente Santa Fe to the Texas Tech Medical Center complex located on Texas Highway 20 (Alameda Avenue) on the eastern edge to the University of Texas at El Paso via Texas Highway 20 (North Mesa Street) on the northwestern edge.

[edit] International border crossings

[edit] El Paso crossings

[edit] Surrounding area crossings

[edit] Media

[edit] Newspapers

El Paso had another English language daily newspaper, El Paso Herald-Post, but that newspaper ended publication in 1997.

[edit] Magazines

[edit] Radio stations

  • AM
    • 600 KROD News/Talk/Sports
    • 630 KLEA Adult Contemporary
    • 690 KTSM News/Talk
    • 750 KAMA Spanish
    • 920 KBNA Spanish
    • 1000 XEFV Spanish
    • 1060 KXPL Spanish
    • 1150 KSVE Spanish
    • 1340 KVIV Spanish
    • 1380 KHEY Sports
    • 1590 KELP Religious
    • 1650 KHRO News/Talk, local Air America Radio[5] affiliate.
  • FM
    • 88.5 KTEP University
    • 89.5 KKLY Christian Radio (K-Love)-previously identified as KXCR
    • 91.1 KVER Spanish
    • 92.3 KOFX Oldies
    • 93.1 KSII Top-40
    • 93.9 KINT Tejano
    • 95.5 KLAQ Rock
    • 94.7 KHRO Spanish Alternative
    • 96.3 KHEY Country
    • 97.5 KBNA Spanish
    • 98.3 Spanish Pop. EXA
    • 99.1 XHEPR Classic Rock
    • 99.9 KTSM Adult Contemporary
    • 102.1 KPRR Hip-Hop/R&B
    • 103.5 XHEM Spanish Pop
    • 104.3 XHTO Top-40

El Paso also shares radio stations with nearby cities Las Cruces, New Mexico and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

[edit] Television stations

El Paso was the largest city in the United States without a PBS television station until 1978. In fact, the city had only three English-speaking channels, and cable subscribers in the 1970s and 1980s could receive four Los Angeles independent channels: KTLA-TV Channel 5, KCAL-TV Channel 9 (then KHJ-TV), KTTV-TV Channel 11 and KCOP-TV Channel 13. All but KTLA has been discontinued on cable. When UPN and the WB networks join to become The CW, El Paso will get it's own CW station, but only on digital television and cable. KTLA will continue to air on cable however. El Paso's current television stations are as follows:

American Broadcast television in the El Paso-Las Cruces-Ciudad Juárez market  (Nielsen DMA #99)

KDBC 4 (CBS) - KVIA 7 (ABC) (The CW on DT2) - KTSM 9 (NBC) - KCOS 13 (PBS) - KFOX 14 (Fox) - KRWG 22 (PBS) - KINT 26 (Univision) - KSCE 38 (Rel.) - K40FW 40 (Multimedios) - KTDO 48 (Telemundo) - KTFN 65 (Telefutura)

Mexican Broadcast television in the El Paso-Las Cruces-Ciudad Juárez market
XEPM 2 (Televisa XHGC) - XEJ 5 (Televisa XEQ) - XHCJE 11 (TV Azteca 13) - XHCJH 20 (TV Azteca 7) - XHJCI 32 (Televisa XEW) - XHIJ 44 (Spanish) - XHJUB 56 (Televisa local)


Broadcast television available on cable only:

KTLA 5 (The CW) (Los Angeles)

[edit] Trivia

  • The term "pachuco" came from the Mexican Spanish slang word for El Paso, probably originating early in the 20th century, then spreading westward throughout the Southwest, following the line of migration associated with Mexican railroad workers (traqueros).
  • The El Paso City Council voted to spend $112,000 to hire a private security firm to guard the city's police station.

[edit] Filmed In El Paso

[edit] External links

Mills, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.


Flag of Texas
State of Texas
Austin (capital)
Topics

History | Geography | Government | Politics | Economy | Demographics | Culture | Transportation | Education | Texans

Regions

Ark‑La‑Tex | Big Bend | Brazos Valley | Central Texas | Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex | Deep East Texas | East Texas | Edwards Plateau | Galveston Bay | Golden Triangle | Greater Houston | Llano Estacado | North Texas | Northeast Texas | Permian Basin | Piney Woods | Rio Grande Valley | South Texas | South Plains | Southeast Texas | Texas Hill Country | Texas Panhandle | West Texas

Metropolitan
areas

Abilene | Amarillo | AustinRound Rock | BeaumontPort Arthur | BrownsvilleHarlingen | BryanCollege Station | Corpus Christi | DallasFort WorthArlington | El Paso | HoustonSugar LandBaytown | KilleenTemple | Laredo | LongviewMarshall | Lubbock | McAllenEdinburgMission | MidlandOdessa | San Angelo | San Antonio | ShermanDenison | Texarkana | Tyler | Victoria | Waco | Wichita Falls

Counties

See: List of Texas counties


Static Wikipedia (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu -

Static Wikipedia 2007 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu -

Static Wikipedia 2006 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu

Static Wikipedia February 2008 (no images)

aa - ab - af - ak - als - am - an - ang - ar - arc - as - ast - av - ay - az - ba - bar - bat_smg - bcl - be - be_x_old - bg - bh - bi - bm - bn - bo - bpy - br - bs - bug - bxr - ca - cbk_zam - cdo - ce - ceb - ch - cho - chr - chy - co - cr - crh - cs - csb - cu - cv - cy - da - de - diq - dsb - dv - dz - ee - el - eml - en - eo - es - et - eu - ext - fa - ff - fi - fiu_vro - fj - fo - fr - frp - fur - fy - ga - gan - gd - gl - glk - gn - got - gu - gv - ha - hak - haw - he - hi - hif - ho - hr - hsb - ht - hu - hy - hz - ia - id - ie - ig - ii - ik - ilo - io - is - it - iu - ja - jbo - jv - ka - kaa - kab - kg - ki - kj - kk - kl - km - kn - ko - kr - ks - ksh - ku - kv - kw - ky - la - lad - lb - lbe - lg - li - lij - lmo - ln - lo - lt - lv - map_bms - mdf - mg - mh - mi - mk - ml - mn - mo - mr - mt - mus - my - myv - mzn - na - nah - nap - nds - nds_nl - ne - new - ng - nl - nn - no - nov - nrm - nv - ny - oc - om - or - os - pa - pag - pam - pap - pdc - pi - pih - pl - pms - ps - pt - qu - quality - rm - rmy - rn - ro - roa_rup - roa_tara - ru - rw - sa - sah - sc - scn - sco - sd - se - sg - sh - si - simple - sk - sl - sm - sn - so - sr - srn - ss - st - stq - su - sv - sw - szl - ta - te - tet - tg - th - ti - tk - tl - tlh - tn - to - tpi - tr - ts - tt - tum - tw - ty - udm - ug - uk - ur - uz - ve - vec - vi - vls - vo - wa - war - wo - wuu - xal - xh - yi - yo - za - zea - zh - zh_classical - zh_min_nan - zh_yue - zu