El Cronómetro and Roma Hotel - El Paso, Texas

This picture shows the El Cronómetro, a jewelry and watches store, and the Roma Hotel. The stores were located on South El Paso Street. The owner of El Cronómetro, Valente Cruz, is standing outside his store, 417 S. El Paso Street. The American flag is hanging from the balcony. As the sign above the entrance indicates, the Roma Hotel rented rooms on daily, weekly and monthly basis. During the Mexican Revolution in 1913, Pancho Villa met at the bar inside the Roma Hotel with German agent Maximilian Kloss, who tried to make a deal with him in exchange for German submarine bases off the coast of Baja California. As many historical sites with connection to the Mexican Revolution, the Hotel was demolished in 2002 to make room for a Burger King.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: Tony and Carmen Canales

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History