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                            Hispano America USA, Inc.
                                          An overview of Contributions of Hispanics &  
                              Spanish Speaking America - World and United States History
                                             Copyright © 1996-98 all rights reserved

                                                     OLD  EL PASO
                                                       

                                                    by: Ivonne Figueroa

El Paso's recorded history begins in 1581 with the Rodríguez-Chamuscado expedition. The next recorded event is the crossing of the Río Grande by the Don Juan de Oñate expedition in 1598. The expedition made a rest stop in the area and celebrated the very first Thanksgiving in what is now the U.S.A. De Oñate officially names the area El Paso del Norte (The Pass of the North) and the expedition continues its way to the present day Santa Fe area cutting the Camino Real (Royal Hayway) from Mexico City to Santa Fe. This road became the primary commercial road for the next two centuries. It is recorded that our Río Grande was then a deep, vast and beautiful river with a bosque - thicket on either side. Fish, ducks and geese were plentiful. Manso and Suma Indians made their home along the river for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of the conquistadores.

In 1659 a mission is built by Franciscan padre, Garcia de San Francisco y Zuniga, and is named Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. This mission with a beautiful hand carved ceiling was the foundation for the Spanish settlement that grew to be El Paso del Norte, Nuevo México, México (Juarez). The mission served a population of just over a thousand people. This very building still stands today close to the downtown Juarez city market. One of the most interesting legends which surrounds this structure has to do with burried treasure. The leyend says that when the sun hits a certain spot in the sky, it casts a shadow upon a high place on the Franklin Mountains marking the spot where conquitador Juan de Oñate allegedly hid a great treasure of jewels and gold. The Franciscans also developed extensive vineyards north of the mission close to present day El Paso and are responsible for the development of extensive irrigations systems and techniques in the area.

The missions established in 1680 by the Spaniards in the area became the foundation of the Mexican settlements of Ysleta, and Socorro. They served over 2 thousand Spanish and Indian refugees from the Pueblo Indian revold in the Santa Fe area. The adobe and stick buildings were washed away by the Río Grande during floods and rebuilt again several times. Originally the missions were found south of the Río Grande. Annual Spring floods resulted in changes in the riverbed and caused the missions to be located on the northern shore of the river. The rich flood plain soil, the abundant water supply, the irrigations sytems and techniques brought in by the Franciscans made for perfect vineyards and orchards. El Paso del Norte became known for the rich full-bodied wines and brandy. The settlement supplied Chihuahua and Nuevo Mexico with the fruit of the vine.

The year 1780 welcomes Presidio (Fort) and Chapel San Elceario and the settlement of San Elizario begins to form. By 1827 El Paso del Norte (Juarez) is a thriving community. It is that year that Don Juan María Ponce de León wins a historic extensive land grant from the Mexican government. His hacienda is now downtown El Paso. Ponce de León was a weathly trader, rancher, farmer, politician with extensive land holdings on both sides of the river. He was an aggressive influential Paseño who had exclusive rights to the Salina de San Andres (salt mines). His ranch included vineyards, orchards, fields, a grist mill and a flour mill.

In 1836 the Mexican state of Coahuila-Tejas declares independence from Mexico (West Texas remains part of Mexico). Tejas becomes "The Republic of Texas", an independent nation and remains so until February 9, 1846.

In 1840 Hugh Stephenson and his wife, Doña Juana María Ascarate de Stephenson, establish their hacienda - Stephensonville, often called Concordia. The hacienda is now in the Concordia Cemetery and I-10 area.

In 1846 the U.S. Congress votes to annex the Texas Republic.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed in 1848 turning over much of the Mexican - Nuevo México territory, present day Arizona, California, New Mexico, and West Texas, to the U.S. in exchange for 15 million dollars. The local border-line was the middle of the deepest part of the Río Grande. This demarcation line caused considerable headaches later as recurring floods (1860,1864,1868, 1873) moved the riverbed south giving the U.S. an extra 600 or so acres of land known as the Chamizal tract. It wasn't until 1963 that the United States government and Mexico signed an agreement in which the river was relocated and the land returned to Mexico.

In 1849 Simeon Hart and wife, Doña Jesusita Siquieros de Hart, establish a grist mill. The "Post Opposite El Paso", Nuevo México, México - is also established this same year at Ponce's Rancho. The post moved several times before developing into Ft. Bliss.

The small adobe community became known as Coonsville and sometimes Franklin after Benjamin Franklin Coons who purchased the Ponce ranch in 1849. The settlement extended approximately a couple of blocks from El Paso Street. The river continues to be a ranging river without bridges. Travelers are forced to camp by the levy until the waters subside in order to cross over. It is told that at one time the only way to cross the Río Grande from Franklin into El Paso, Mexico was by using a small rowboat and pulling on a rope that had been tied from cottonwood trees on either side of the river.

The area now was made up of the scattered haciendas of Harts Mill, Magoffinsville, and Stephensonville or Concordia. The "big" Mexican settlements of Ysleta, Socorro, and San Elizario were to the east. The land was covered with cottonwood, mesquite, sagebrush, a thicket or bosque was found at both sides of the Río Grande extending approximately 5 miles both ways. Wild animals, quicksand and swamps were a big problem. Apache attacks were common. People traveled in groups and well armed.

In 1850 Franklin or Coonsville (present day El Paso) leaves Nuevo México and joins Texas. San Elizario becomes the county seat.

The first burial at what was to become Concordia Cemetery is in 1856 when Doña Juana María Ascarate de Stephenson is buried in a church yard within her property. Other known burial sites include the site of the downtown public library and the site of the now closed Popular Dry Goods Store.

In 1858 the Butterfield Overland Express Mail Coach begins to run through our area. The settlement name is changed to El Paso in 1859. The approximate population is 300. For a while there was El Paso, Chihuahua, México and El Paso, Texas, USA.

El Paso became a United States city in 1873 and officially incorporated in 1880. In 1881 the Southern Pacific Railroad comes to our town and real growth begins in the city. In 1888 our sister city was renamed Juarez in honor of Benito Juarez, Mexican National hero.
     

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