Downtown El Paso in 1890s

The scenic shot shows downtown El Paso in the 1890s. The railroad had arrived in 1881, which changed the image of the city rapidly. El Paso became the railroad center in the Southwest, processing and distributing goods to the surrounding areas, including Mexico. The development led to the settlement of more businessmen and workers in the El Paso area. Important institutions, such as schools, library, hospital, kindergarten, restaurants, hotels, stores, fire stations and police department, were formed at that time.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: C.L. Sonnichsen Special Collections, University of Texas at El Paso Library. Collection Name: Southern Pacific Railroad Photos. Photo ID: PH021-1-3.

Uploaded by: UTEP Library Special Collections