Kern Place Sunset

Last night we happened to be in the historic Kern Place area of El Paso, just in time for a great sunset.  We know we often post rural skies, and wanted to show you our biggest city also hosts grand sunsets, too. 

The Kern Place area, just north of UTEP, was the first suburb in El Paso, dating to 1914.  Now in the center of the city, the area has gracious homes, many built with local rock.  The history of the area is outlined on Wikipedia, here.

12 Days of Christmas: Historic Kern Place Neighborhood

Kern Place Gate, 1916

Photo courtesy of the El Paso Public Library.

 

 

El Paso has to be among the most surprisingly charming cities in the state...get off the interstate and explore and you'll see it for yourself.  There are neighborhoods bursting with personality and history, and are worth your time.  Take, for instance, the Kern Place neighborhood, bordering UTEP, the University of Texas El Paso.

Plans for this neighborhood began in 1914, and Peter Kern's plan for a gracious neighborhood was in full swing with 40 homes by 1917.  Kern had this gate built at the corner of Kansas and Robinson, to help boost sales.

Today, lovely and interesting homes still grace the neighborhood, and it is filled with interesting shops for you to explore too.  A good place for holiday shopping, it is also terrific for dining, too!  The neighborhood is home to what Texas Monthly has deemed the #4 burger in the state, at Toro Burger...one of our favorites.  And just this month, Texas Monthly named Crave, one of the top breakfast places in the state!  Nearby is Crazy Cat Cyclery, a great bike shop and community center for cyclists.


Take a look at this slideshow with history about the area, by Laura Cruz-Acosta.
Read more about this wonderful area of the largest city in the Texas Mountain Trail region, here.