THE PASS
A collision of geography and history created one of the most important settlements in the southwest along a northward passage from Mexico known as El Paso del Norte. Here, two mountain ranges rise out of the desert separated by a deep chasm and the Rio Grande River. After several centuries of settlement and colonization along the pass, two communities arose, one on each side of the river. To the south lay Juarez and to the north El Paso, a community that, after statehood, became the westernmost tip of Texas. Today, El Paso continues to serve as an important community with cross-national and multi-state relationships, bridging the gap between Mexico, the U.S., New Mexico, and Texas. As a foreign trade zone, El Paso offers a unique business opportunity that reaches far into Central and South American resources. It’s a cultural crossroads as well, providing fertile ground for a bi-national heritage that continues to evolve. Museums like the El Paso Museum of Fine Art, the Magoffin Home State Historic Site, UTEP – a campus of the University of Texas system, and Fort Bliss – a thriving military base, join hotels, restaurants, music venues, and taverns to create a thriving metropolitan area, considered one of the largest along the country’s bi-national border.
El Paso boasts a state cultural district designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts. Explore all they have to offer on your next visit!
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