Hueco Tanks, man made dam

In 1895, El Paso businessman Juan Armendariz purchased three sections centered on Hueco Tanks and began to use the area for ranching. Two large inscribed stones testify to Armendariz’s claim as the “dueño de este cerro” (proprietor of this hill). A few years later, Silverio Escontrias bought most of the Hueco Tanks ranch from Armendariz. By 1904 he had built an adobe house, another three-room building, and a two-room stable; the latter two buildings apparently were built with stones from the old stage station. The Escontrias family operated the cattle and horse ranch until the mid 1950s, and constructed 15 dams from rock, soil, and concrete to capture the water that ran off the hills. http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/hueco/story.html

Area: Far Eastside / Hueco Tanks

Source: El Paso Public Library

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History