History & HeritageHistoric routeFree (donations welcome)
The Mission Trail
Lower Valley: Ysleta, Socorro, San Elizario
Three centuries of continuous worship along the valley: Ysleta Mission, Socorro Mission, and the San Elizario Chapel.
Why go
- Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in Texas.
- The San Elizario historic district around the plaza is walkable, with galleries and a real small-town feel.
- A half-day that covers more actual history than anything else in the region.
Planning notes
- Drive the route east to west or west to east — the three stops are close together.
- Sunday mornings are for the congregations. Visit respectfully, or go another day.
More history & heritage
Concordia Cemetery
A sprawling frontier burial ground with separate sections for Chinese railroad workers, Buffalo Soldiers, Jesuits, and the gunfighter John Wesley Hardin.
Chamizal National Memorial
A national park commemorating the peaceful settlement of a century-long border dispute between the United States and Mexico.
Magoffin Home State Historic Site
An 1875 adobe hacienda still holding the furnishings of the family that helped build El Paso.