Photographer: J. Griffis Smith
El Paso's Lower Valley is site of several graceful old Spanish
missions that are older than the better-known missions of
California. Tour mapped by El Paso Convention & Visitors Bureau
includes the following:
Nuestra Señora del Carmen, was established in
1681, and later dedicated Corpus Christi de la Ysleta, 1690;
damaged by both floods and fires, but restored and maintained in
original style and now familiarly called Ysleta Mission. Oldest
mission in Texas, established for Tigua Indians. When founded, the
mission pueblo was south of the Rio Grande, but has been left on
the Texas side by changes in the river channel. Some mission land
has been in constant cultivation since 1682, more than 300 years.
100 block of Old Pueblo Rd. (Zaragosa exit from I-10 east).
Nuestra Señora de la Concepción del Socorro was
established in 1682 as mission for Piros, Thanos, and Jemes
Indians. Originally located about 12 leagues from Guadalupe Mission
at Paso del Norte and about 7.5 leagues from Ysleta. However, when
a group of Indians threatened to revolt, mission moved to new
location about one league from Ysleta Mission. Early 19th-century
flood changed course of Rio Grande and left village and mission on
Texas side. Present village of Socorro adjacent to southeast El
Paso, F.M. 258 south.
San Elizario Presidio Chapel was founded 1777 to
serve Spanish military garrison and government. Still in daily use,
chapel stands as built 200 years ago, preserving a type of
architecture that supplanted more austere styles of Ysleta and
Socorro missions. Village of San Elizario served as El Paso County
seat for years and was location of a presidio (fort) of the same
name. F.M. 258 south.