Step Back Into 1920s El Paso Through This Rare Photo

Have you ever walked through Downtown El Paso and wondered what it looked like 100 years ago?

It's easy to get caught up in the traffic, construction, and hustle of downtown today, but long before modern storefronts and smartphones, these same streets were filled with local vendors, early automobiles, and everyday moments that looked a whole lot different than they do now.

A recently shared photo from the 1920s offers a fascinating glimpse into that world.

A Street Vendor's View Of 1920s El Paso

The photo, shared by Traces of Texas, shows a food vendor sitting beside his cart at the corner of Stanton and Overland sometime during the 1920s.

According to the description that accompanied the image, the camera is facing north and northeast, capturing a slice of everyday life in Downtown El Paso nearly a century ago. The original poster believes the vendor may have been selling roasted peanuts, although that's not confirmed.

READ MORE: Check Out How the Plaza Theatre Looked for 'The Birds' Premiere 

Nearly 100 years later, El Pasoans are zooming in on the photo trying to figure out exactly what was on the menu while taking in the cars, storefronts, and details of a city that feels both familiar and completely different at the same time.

Some Of Those Buildings Are Still Standing

The coolest part of the photo might be what's happening in the background.

The large building behind the vendor is the Zelman Building, built in 1915 and known today as the Savoy Lofts. If you've spent any time downtown, chances are you've walked right past it- it also used to be a Dollar Tree at one point!

Google Maps

Just beyond it sits the Samaniego Building, a structure designed by famed El Paso architect Henry Trost in 1907. More than a century later, it still stands and continues to be restored.

Google Maps

That's what makes this image feel less like a history lesson and more like a scavenger hunt. The same buildings that appeared in this ordinary street scene are still part of Downtown El Paso today.

A Snapshot Of Everyday El Paso

One of the best things about old photos is that they capture moments nobody thought would be important.

READ MORE: Awesome Picture of El Paso High in 1918

The vendor on that corner probably had no idea that nearly a century later, people would be zooming in on a photo trying to figure out what he was selling. For him, it was probably just another day at work.

Today, it's a fascinating snapshot of Borderland history.

And while a lot has changed since the 1920s, photos like this remind us that pieces of old El Paso are still hiding in plain sight all around downtown.