The USA Is 250 And El Paso’s Been Around For Each Era

In 2026, the USA turns 250. Here are some of the key moments in the history of El Paso over those past 250 years.

The Spaniards hit El Chuco in the late 1500's, Way, WAYYYY before those English peeps were even close to getting mad enough at the King to go into business for themselves over here.

We had a head start so, we already had it going on over here before the war for independence was even a thought.

The USA, as a nation, came together ... officially ... July 4th, 1776. That's the date we've always officially celebrated the USA's birthday anyway and this time, we're turning the big 250.

Take a look back at El Paso's significant historical moments of the last 250 years.

Juan De Onate set up shop here in 1598 and, among other things, beat the pilgrims to the "first" Thanksgiving. The one we recognize today wasn't for another 23 years in 1621. That's also when we established the oldest, continuously inhabited community in Texas, which would later be known as El Paso.

READ MORE: The Weird History Of El Paso's Kern Place

We got a lot done between the late 1500's and the birth of the USA but we'll jump straight to 1776 for this list.

Presidio de San Elizario was established in the late 1700's.

In the late 1700's, the Presidio de San Elizario was established with a large population and a military post to lock down, and secure, the trade route along the Camino Real.
Prior to that, in 1682, the oldest mission in Texas was built in modern day San Eli.

El Paso became 'the 6 shooter capital' in the 1800's.

This is where it really gets jumping ... and very violent ... in El Paso which would soon be nicknamed "the 6 shooter capital."

1873 - The USA was almost 100 when El Paso was officially established.

1877 - The Salt War Of San Elizario

1881 - The Railroad Arrives

1883 - El Paso Established As The County Seat (Tough luck Ysleta.)

El Paso witnessed the Mexican Revolution in the 1900's.

1910 - The Mexican Revolution began, and El Paso had a front row seat as battles raged in Juarez.

1914 - Texas School Of Mines opened, known today as UTEP.

1957 - El Paso elected the first Hispanic mayor in the United States.

1966 - Coach Don Haskins broke the color barrier by starting an all black lineup in that year's NCAA Finals - they won. (Watch the actual game here then, the movie they made about it.)

1967 - The Chamizal Treaty resolved a long standing dispute between Mexico and the United States over what land belonged to whom.

El Paso was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in the 2000's.

2006 - Thanks To Hurricane Katrina, El Paso suffered major flooding when 10 inches of rain fell in one week. That was two inches more than El Paso's yearly average rainfall.

2013 - The Asarco Smokestack was brought down, and El Paso City Hall was demolished to build the Chihuahuas Stadium.

2025 - El Paso elected its first black mayor. El Paso wasn't first in the nation on that like we were with electing the first Hispanic mayor in 1957 but it was yet another of many "firsts" for the 915.