Orand's Cafe

Orand's Cafe

2901 Alameda Ave

In 1956, congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act and created a vast interstate highway network across the country. It encompassed a 41,000 system that connected populations of more than 100,000 residents. Completed in the 1990’s and at a cost of a hundred billion dollars, it profoundly changed the landscape of America and how citizens travel and conduct business.

Interstate 10 was one of the largest interstate highways built with a length of 2,500 miles. It spans from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California. Interstate 10 made its way through El Paso in the early 1960’s. Much of the interstate would cut through existing El Paso neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park, Rio Grande, Downtown and Sunset Heights. Large parcels of land were bought out and families left their homes. Much of this demolition happened in El Paso’s then Eastside which included Lincoln Park Neighborhood, the epicenter for El Paso’s African American community. A large amount of homes and businesses were lost despite a nationwide protest to save these communities from erasure and possible health hazards coming from construction and automobiles.

Although the site of Orand's Cafe was not physically affected by the construction of I-10, the nearby neighborhood demolition and resulting loss of community contributed to its eventual closure. The site of the building still stands today and is located around the corner from Estine Eastside Barbershop.

A black-and-white photograph shows three women posing in front of a storefront with a "CLOSED" sign on the door. The store has a large window with decorative bars and promotional posters, possibly indicating the address. The window also contains advertisements and a bottle, suggesting it may be a liquor store or a small business.
The woman on the left is wearing a knee-length, full-skirted dress with a floral pattern, a fitted bodice, and a hat adorned with a decorative element. She is leaning on the woman in the center, lifting one foot slightly. The woman in the middle is wearing a checkered, form-fitting dress with a belt accentuating her waist. She has short, curly hair and rests her arm on the shoulder of the third woman. The woman on the right is dressed in a more structured outfit, consisting of a knee-length skirt, a blouse, a jacket, and a white hat, along with glasses.