Saint Ignatius Catholic Church girls' string band

The image shows Saint Ignatius Catholic Church girls' string band in 1913. In 1904, Father Pinto purchased property in the Chamizal Tract at Second and Park Streets and erected a small building, which held the church and the school, to serve the newly created parish of St. Ignatius. In 1913, the new church was built and dedicated to St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit Order. Expansion of the church including new towers was completed in 1914 and within a few years St. Ignatius became the first church in El Paso to have central heating. To this day, St. Ignatius is one of the most beautifully painted churches. In 1916, Camp Cotton was built near St. Ignatius in response to the Mexican Revolution. Since many of the soldiers were Irish Catholics, they attended Mass at St. Ignatius. The chapel was placed under the administration of the Jesuits of the Province of Mexico from 1914 until 1917 when the parish of St. Ignatius was erected. In 1921, the now familiar façade of St. Ignatius, designed by the architectural firm of Trost and Trost, was built onto the church. Since 1961, St. Ignatius Parish has been served by the Servite Fathers who came to the Mission Valley in 1957 and assumed the administration of the parish after the Mexican Jesuits relinquished it. St. Ignatius was famous for its music programs, especially during the 1910s to 1930s. Not only the girls' string band, but also a choir, a symphony orchestra, the Philharmonic Club and the St. Ignatius Band were established and earned nationwide recognition.

Area: Central / South Central

Source: C.L. Sonnichsen Special Collections, University of Texas at El Paso Library. Collection Name: MS231Cleofas Calleros. Photo ID: Cleofas Calleros 03 a.