www.elpasotexas.gov - Historic Districts

El Paso is enriched by its diverse history and culture, aspects that portend a promising future. Historic resources and living culture represent the contributions and collective human experiences of the people who have inhabited the Pass of the North from the recesses of unrecorded time to the present modern age. Existing historic resources provide a connection with our past and enhance our quality of life; thus, to ensure a link to the past and our cultural identity, historic preservation is an integral component to the maintenance of memory.

With more than four hundred years of recorded history, as well as approximately four thousand years of human habitation within the region, El Paso’s story has been shaped by native peoples, Spanish clergy and conquistadores, Anglo settlers, African-American cavalry troops, Chinese exiles, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, and members of other races and cultures. All groups have contributed to the region’s rich culture and history, and many landmarks remain to tell their respective stories. Archeological sites, buildings, and historic sites serve as invaluable cultural and economic assets, which require proactive stewardship to ensure positive impacts on our local economy and the quality of life for our residents.

Historic preservation encompasses a broad range of activities related to preservation and conservation of the built environment by physical and intellectual methods. The generally accepted notion of historic preservation is the repair and maintenance of old buildings, but such undertakings are only a part of historic preservation’s scope. Restoring or rehabilitating historic buildings, whether for residential or commercial use, strengthens neighborhoods, districts, and the local economy. Communities with strong historic preservation programs provide unique heritage tourism experiences which translates into a healthy economy fueled in part by tourism dollars. Historic districts and well-maintained downtown areas attract visitors from afar, while showcasing a community’s architectural heritage. Furthermore, from an economic standpoint, historic preservation creates new local jobs, spurs private and public investment, increases property values, and enhances neighborhood and community pride.

Owning property within any of El Paso’s historic districts is both a privilege and a responsibility. Property owners enjoy the advantages of increased property values by maintaining buildings located within an environment protected from unregulated change. With this advantage comes the property owner’s responsibility to help to maintain the distinctive character of the historic district, which makes a historic district unique.

On June 27, 1978, the El Paso City Council approved Ordinance 6243, the Historic Landmark Preservation Ordinance. This enabling legislation seeks to preserve and protect our community’s buildings, structures, and archeological sites that convey the history and sense of place that makes El Paso a unique city. To ensure that the public’s interests are attended to, the Historic Landmark Preservation Ordinance requires that property owners of buildings, structures, and land within locally designated historic districts submit any proposed exterior alterations to the property for review by the Historic Preservation Office or the El Paso Historic Landmark Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. Such alterations include, but are not limited to, landscaping, refinishing or repainting a building’s exterior, installing a new roof, installing replacement windows and doors, constructing an addition, and so forth. This review process is required, and the staff of the Historic Preservation Office in the Development Services Department is available to answer questions about the process and provide advice and suggestions on appropriate treatments to buildings.

For additional information about the city’s historic preservation programs, please email Dr. Troy Ainsworth, Historic Preservation Officer, at ainsworthtm@elpasotexas.gov or phone at (915) 541-4668, or Tony De La Cruz, Planner, at delacruzja@elpasotexas.gov or (915) 541-4329.