Burges Home

This house is called “Burges Home” and is the current site of the El Paso County Historical Society. It is situated in the Sunset Heights Historic District and was built for Richard Fenner Burges (1873-1945) by contractor J. E. Morgan around 1912. Alterations were made in 1927 under the direction of architect Otto H. Thorman. The two-story house carries the Adams Architectural style from the Georgian Revival manner popular in El Paso from 1881 to 1940. From the time he came to El Paso, Richard Fenner Burges played a prominent part in the development of the city. He was an attorney with his special field irrigation law but he also was counsel and advisory for various negotiations. Burges also served two terms as State Representative, 1913 and 1915 and he commanded his battalion in the battle of the Argonne and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for distinguished service. In 1898, Richard F. Burges married Ethel Petrie Shelton, an estimable young lady of a prominent family. Ethel died in April, 1912 when the Burges house was in its’ early stages of construction. To Richard and Ethel Burges was born a daughter, Jane. Upon Richards’ death in 1945, Jane inherited the estate, and, on Janes’ death in 1986, she bequeathed the Burges home to The El Paso County Historical Society.