Mural at Sunset Pumping Station

The picture shows the mural by Carlos Rossas at the wall of the old Sunset Pumping Station. With the arrival of the railroad in 1881, American El Paso underwent a tremendous period of growth. Thousands of settlers arrived and many new businesses and residences were built over the next few years. The city struggled to provide basic services to its new residents. Although new water works were established, they never provided consistent, quality water. In the beginning of the 1910s the city took over the system. A water commission was created and major renovations were made to the entire system. New pumps and machinery were installed, and the reservoir was enlarged and reconstructed. One of the new pumping stations was the Sunset Heights Pumping Station, established at 1910. The mural illustrates the need for water and the occurring difficulties when living in the desert.

Area: Central / Sunset Heights