El Paso Captured in Photos from 1910 & 1975

Remember when postcards were the souvenir you brought back from vacation? Or what others brought back to you after a vacation to thank you for bringing in their mail? They usually had a picture of a famous landscape in the town they visited with the phrase "wish you were here". Postcards were a hit.

Postcards have a wonderful way of giving you a sneak peek into a certain time and place. For instance, this painting, which would eventually became a postcard of downtown El Paso. However, this photograph shows a certain time in El Paso history.

The photograph is from 1910, long before the Anson Mills Building was built, before the Chihuahua's would call Southwest University Park their home and where you would occasionally see Pancho Villa in the city. I can't exactly place where in Downtown El Paso this photo is from, but many say it is downtown.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

The next photograph is from 1975, and while I don't believe it was ever turned into a postcard but it totally should have been! The beauty of this one, is that it is in color and I feel like it completely transports you back in time. Check it out below.

According to the Tweet, this was taken by Stephen Shore and according to my mom, this appears to be San Antonio street in Downtown El Paso because she recognized that Starr Western Wear is right around the corner.

These two photographs capture El Paso at two completely different moments in time, and yet they both capture that "homey" feel; you know it's El Paso, and you know it's home.