Historic Holland Hotel

 

Alpine's historic Holland Hotel (1928) sits across from the train station, which made it convenient for travelers in the early days, and for Amtrak passengers today!

Designed by the Trost and Trost firm, which was responsible for other hotels in the area (Gage Hotel in Marathon, 1927; Hotel Paisano in Marfa, 1930; Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn, 1930), the property is now completely and lovingly restored and open for visitors.

Click here for a list of historic hotels and related sites in the Texas Mountain Trail region. 

#30DaysofBiking

A great, but little known, mountain biking route is waiting for adventurous riders in Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the Williams Ranch road.  The rugged 4x4 road is open to just two vehicles at a time through locked gates, and keys can be secured by the park rangers at the visitors center.  The road is 7.3 miles one way, and is rugged enough that it takes a vehicle about an hour to get to the ranch house.

The road even follows the historic route taken by stagecoach on the Butterfield Overland Trail and overlooks the salt flat, the source of the historic 1877 Salt War of El Paso.

Click here for a historic overview of Williams Ranch.

Architecture of Henry Trost and UTEP

If you're interested in architecture, you won't want to miss the program at UTEP on Saturday, January 18th, at 1pm.

Join Dr. Max Grossman for a richly illustrated 45-minute presentation followed by a half-hour tour of the four oldest buildings on the UTEP campus. This event will focus on the role of the iconic architect Henry C. Trost, the foundation and early development of Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy, and the introduction of the Bhutnese style to campus.

For more information on this event, see the full listing on our Texas Mountain Trail calendar, here.

Join Dr. Max Grossman for a richly illustrated 45-minute presentation followed by a half-hour tour of the four oldest buildings on the UTEP campus. This event will focus on the role of the iconic architect Henry C. Trost, the foundation and early development of Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy, and the introduction of the Bhutnese style to campus.

- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/el-paso-texas-trost-society-tom-lea-institute-invitation#sthash.P8vG9V1p.dpuf

New Word on the "Tiffany" Dome

Dome in El Paso's historic
El Camino Real hotel
Photo: THC

For some time, the stained glass dome in El Paso's historic El Camino Real hotel has been a "go to" site for visitors and residents of the city.  It graces the bar of the hotel beautifully.  Long called a "Tiffany" dome, there's been some speculation about its origin. 

Our Texas Mountain Trail board members from El Paso are dilgent in supporting the city's history, and knowing rumor and and they're terrific champions of the truth.  Turns out the "Tiffany" dome is really a Tiffany-style dome.

Thanks to TMT Board President Emeritus, Bernie Sargent, and Prince McKenzie of the Railroad and Transportation Museum of El Paso for scouting out the truth.  From Prince McKenzie:

"My mentor Dr. Clarke Garnsey, Prof. Emeritus, Art Dept. TWC/UTEP, was retained by Franklin Land to evaluate the dome, as they began the building restoration of the hotel. Having been trained at the Cleveland Art Institute, he knew what I D marks to look for and where, and he believed the dome to be designed by a Chicago studio and positively not Tiffany.

Later as a Curator at the Art Museum, I studied the various stained glass windows of the W. H. Turney Home and identified all the makers except one. I identified windows designed by Trost, and even had one restored. The big problem for me was the great Palladian stained glass window on the grand staircase of the Turney Home. I believed it to be the same maker as the dome of the Paso del Norte because of three factors; same period, same quality and same architect.

Now I believe you have found the answer. Garnsey told Franklin Land not to describe it as a Tiffany but stated that it was of equal quality. After the building was sold the new owners could not resist making the Tiffany claim in their advertising."

Henry Trost: A Touch of Genius in the Arid Southwest

Click image to enlarge and get details on this great event!

The Gage Hotel in Marathon is hosting a wonderful evening later this month.  Texas historian and Gage Hotel owner, JP Bryan will speak on the impressive career of architect, Henry C. Trost, who was responsible for some of our best historic hotels in the region.

 They include the Hotel Paisano in Marfa.

The Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn, now completely restored and open for dining and lodging.

The Holland Hotel in Alpine.

And the Gage Hotel in Marathon.

Click here for a list of historic hotels in our Texas Mountain Trail Region, and get your tickets for this great night at 432-386-4205.

Dan Baeza Week Begins!

Hotel El Capitan sign by Dan Baeza
DanBaeza.com

Earlier this summer we were most fortunate to host a talented photographer, Dan Baeza, in an internship with the Texas Mountain Trail and the Clark Hotel Museum in Van Horn.  Dan did terrific work for both entities during his quick three week stint, including building the Museum's first-ever website, www.clarkhotelmuseum.com and working on several social media projects for the Trail.  This is the start of an entire week of images shot by Dan during his internship...stay tuned and enjoy the entire week!

The Hotel El Capitan is one of the region's beautifully restored historic hotels.  Built in 1930 by Trost and Trost, it was one of five in the Gateway Hotel chain in west Texas and eastern New Mexico.  It was a cattleman's hotel for its first 40 years; ranchers from all over the area bought and sold cattle in business meetings held in the lobby.  Today, it graciously serves visitors to Guadalupe Mountains National Park and other regional attractions, and travelers heading east or west on I-10.

BONUS!!
Cycling in 1895

We're also sharing a story from the Victorian era...El Paso's own cycling craze.  On our Facebook and Twitter accounts, we'll share photos, clippings and other content that tells the story.  Exactly 117 years ago, El Paso was awaiting the arrival of famed cyclist, Annie Londonderry, and the town was excited about having her visit the city during the July 4th celebrations!

From the El Paso Herald, exactly 117 years ago, from the front page on June 25, 1895:

An interview with Annie Londonderry, click on the image to get a closer view!

The Conquistadors of Hotel Cortez

In the heart of downtown El Paso, adjacent to the Plaza, there's a little surprise if you look up.  Just above street level, there's a series of portrait heads of conquistadors!

The Hotel Cortez, a Henry Trost building opened in 1926 and remained a hotel until 1970. Built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, when it was opened, it was advertised as a "Castle of Old Spain on the Plaza of El Paso." 


Three hotels have been in this location.  The first, the elegant Vendrome Hotel hosted, among others, Annie Londonderry, the first woman to travel around the world by bicycle.  By 1899, the Vendrome was renamed the Hotel Orndorff, and later a new 11-story Hotel Orndorff was built on the same site in 1926.  A few years later, it was remaned the Hussman, and then the Hotel Cortez.  Since 1984, the building has housed offices.

Click to read!

Cortez Hotel Building today

The Stained Glass Dome by Louis Comfort Tiffany

 

One of the many (nearly) hidden charms of El Paso is in the heart of downtown....the stained glass dome by Tiffany at the Camino Real Hotel, across from the Museum of Art.  Originally, the Paso del Norte Hotel, the building was designed by renowned El Paso architect Henry Trost.  It cost about $1.5 million to construct and opened on Nov. 24, 1912.  The Tiffany dome is 25 feet wide and two stories above the floor.  It is now the central meeting point at the hotel's bar.

During the revolution Pancho Villa, New York radical journalist John Reed, Gen. Alvaro Obregón and General John Pershing either stayed at or attended conferences here. In 1914, former Chihuahuan Gov. Luis Terrazas and his family, along with their 27 servants, rented the entire top floor. 

You can learn more about the hotel and its role in the Mexican Revolution here, where the hotel appears on a wonderful historical walking tour.  We like the audio features about each of the walking tour's stops!  

Enchanting Rocks by Rob Hodges

I know I’ve driven through Van Horn many times. I must have at least stopped for gas at some point. But prior to this summer, it was just a forgettable blip along I-10.

I take that back… it did become a curiosity for me in January 2010 when I interviewed Greg Vanderpool of the band Monahans, which has an expansive, often instrumental sound described by some as “landscape rock.” He mentioned that he often goes to a friend’s ranch in Van Horn to write, and the band actually set up a makeshift studio in a hunting lodge there to do some recordings in 2009.

This summer, I had the opportunity to visit Van Horn for a couple days—and it became crystal clear why Vanderpool finds inspiration in the setting. The town has some hidden gems, and the surrounding mountain ranges and open spaces are sublime. I was fortunate to stay at the historic Hotel El Capitan, designed by notable southwestern architect Henry Trost in 1930.

One evening, I had the pleasure of touring the Red Rock Ranch, which has scenery on par with the great state and national parks of Far West Texas. The private ranch is comprised of more than 17,000 acres of its namesake rocks, which have provided a dramatic backdrop for television and movie sets. During the tour, I saw something from a distance that I had never seen in Texas before—three desert bighorn sheep! It’s a shame more people will not experience this truly special place. Camping, overnight stays, and unguided hikes are not allowed.  On the other hand, that keeps the crowds away, keeps the land pristine, and makes it well worth the effort to visit this unforgettable, off-the-beaten-path ranch.

One morning, I woke early and rode part of the “El Capitan to El Capitan” bike ride with Texas Mountain Trail Region executive director, Beth Nobles. Beth was gracious enough to put me in touch with the local RV park that rents cruiser bikes. Although we didn’t have a lot of time and I was limited by the single-speed machine, we did manage to log about 12 miles along the scenic SH 54 that heads north toward the Guadalupe Mountains. We followed the Beach Mountains, saw Red Rock Ranch from a distance, and caught a quintessential West Texas sunrise. I can’t wait for the day I return with my road bike to discover what else the 55-mile ride has in store.

Rob Hodges is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in such diverse publications as the Houston Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Austin Monthly, Edible Austin, South American Explorer, national meetings magazines, and Texas Historical Commission travel guides. Having traveled through about 30 countries on five continents, and about 40 states in the U.S., he can say with authority that Texas is a great place to live. His home is about a mile from the Capitol in Austin, where he lives with wife, Kate, and daughter, Zadie. His work can be seen at robhodges.com

Manhattan Heights Neighborhood

El Paso is a surprising city.  Most folks traveling never get off I-10 and that's a shame.  There are places in the city worthy of a little exploration, a little discovery.  One of these is the historic Manhattan Heights neighborhood, a gracious area adjacent to the Scenic Drive overlook.  Not only are there terrific views of the city from there, but also incredible vistas from Memorial Park.  And there's the Muncipal Rose Garden, too!  (Pictured here is a restored gas station, The neighborhood has an amazing history, for it was built on a copper smelting site.  (As you explore the neighborhood, you'll notice the street names:  Copper, Gold, Silver, etc!)  Read more about it here. 

Many of the homes were designed by local promiment local architects to reflect Prairie or Spanish styles--including Otto Thorman, Mabel Welch, William G. Wuehrmann, and Gustavo and Henry Trost.

For a slideshow of images from the neighborhood, click here.  The neighborhood has been rated one of El Paso's "most walkable," for a map, click here.

Mexican Revolution historical walking tour of El Paso!

The El Paso Times recently published a special section on that city's role in the Mexican Revolution, and it is a fascinating history you can continue to experience, since many of the locations are still intact.  We took part of the walking tour they published.  Pictured here is the Alhambra Theatre building at 209 S. El Paso Street.  Quoting the paper:  "This theater was constructed by Rodolfo and Manuel Cruz in 1914 for $150,000 to cater to the affluent Mexican exile community that relocated here during the revolution, as well as Anglo-American audiences. It featured vaudeville specialties and motion pictures. The Alhambra was designed by Henry Trost in a Spanish Moorish architectural style."

Click here to see the special section of the El Paso Times online.

Click here to read about a special exhibit about the Mexican Revolution at the El Paso Museum of History, on display now.

Van Horn's Hotel El Capitan Opens!

Van Horn's Hotel El Capitan reopened this weekend, again joining the list of historic hotels in the Texas Mountain Trail region. For a list of the others, visit www.texasmountaintrail.com/historichotels

Click here to see an old postcard of the El Capitan in its early years. It first opened in 1930, a work of the regionally notable architects, Henry Trost. One of the last remaining examples of the Pueblo Revival Style--perhaps the last in the state--the El Capitan served cattleman and was Van Horn's premier hotel for many years....and this weekend, it is again.

To read more about the Hotel El Capitan, visit its website, click here.