THE HERITAGE OF THE SEGUNDO BARRIO
BELONGS TO ALL OF US
October 7, 2007
By Dr. Roberto Calderon
WHAT THE TRANSNATIONAL forces engaged in demolishing an important (naypriceless) part of El Paso's architectural and social history, that of El Segundo Barrio, are doing is a crime against humanity. It ought to be denounced from the highest international courts of justice and from the podium at the United Nations.
Unlike here in the North Texas region, where cities invest literally millions of dollars to preserve and maintain and even refurbish their more dilapidated historic builidings, courthouses, and historic residential districts, on the border, in El Paso/Juárez, our supposed leaders pretend to do the opposite. Why does one measure of justice apply here in North Texas and another in El Paso? What's the difference?
Why did the State of Texas in partnership with local and regional government entities and private funds provide upwards of $3 million in the past two or three years just to remodel and upgrade the county courthouse? Why is that courthouse that dates from the late 1800s, merit a different standard of preservation than the architecture of Segundo Barrio? Is it a matter of ethncity? Class? Protected interests? What?
Who decides and why which architecture is worth beans, and which is worth a keeping for posterity? Troubled waters, those on the Rio Bravo at El Paso del Norte.
The right thing to do is give justice a chance. I vote for preserving our history, for it belongs to all of us not just those who physically live in El Paso. Segundo Barrio is my barrio too. Too many barrios have already fallen by the wayside to so-called redevelopment schemes, and they didn't make many if any of its residents rich or wealthy. Rather, that wealth was reaped mostly by outsiders to the communities that were
literally and figuratively disappeared.
Stop barrio demolition! Reinvest in its posterity! Promote barrio
preservation!
(Dr. Roberto Calderon is a history professor at University of North Texas. He can be reached at beto@unt.edu.)
"Where we see gems, they see junk."
Photographs by Bruce Berman.
These are just some of the historical buildings mostly in the Segundo Barrio
neighborhood that are targeted for demolition under the Paso Del Norte
Group redevelopment plan. Dozens of other threatened sites in the
Magoffin, Chihuahuita and Union Plaza district are not included.
The El Paso Times-Labor Temple—(223. S. Oregon Street)
This building housed the El Paso Times in the 1890s and then became the
Labor Temple and the printing press for the Labor Advocate newspaper
from 1919 to 1962.
Teresita Urrea-Henry Flipper site (Third & Oregon Street)
A plaque is now at this site where healer-saint-revolutionary Santa Teresita Urrea lived
in 1897. It was also the site of the first customs house, a Ladies
Hospital, Aoy School and a Chinese Laundry. In 1907 it was
refurbished by a Frenchman named Pierre Cazanabe, alias Felix Robert.
The building that is standing there today was the home of Henry Flipper in 1919 and 1920. Flipper was the first African American graduate from West Point.
El Paso Del Norte press—(609 S. Oregon Street)
The first novel of the Mexican Revolution, Los de Abajo by Mariano
Azuela was published here in serial form by the Villista doctor
in 1915 when it housed the El Paso del Norte printing press. According
to the El Paso County Appraisal District, this building was constructed
in 1910. It became the Pablo Baray Apartments in the 20s.
The Ira Bush Home—(809 Magoffin)
Dr. Ira Bush was appointed by the Maderista revolutionary as head of
their medical corps. He established the Insurrecto Hospital where the
wounded were taken during the Battle of Juárez in May 1911. He
helped steal the McGintty band canon for the rebels during this period.
He was a good friend of Pancho Villa. His revolutionary activities are
documented in his memoir, Gringo Doctor.
Baptist Temple—(801 Magoffin)
This beautiful church was built in 1907. Today it is owned by the Catholic Daughters of America.
Chinatown—(212 W. Overland Street)
Site of a 19th century Chinese Laundry. Oregon and Overland streets were the heart of Chinatown in El Paso.
Henderson Baby Clinic-(South Mesa Street)
The Henderson Baby Clinic was first established in 1919 as the Freeman Clinic by the Methodist Church in the Segundo Barrio.
Baptist Printing House- (Virginia & Myrtle Street)
The Baptist Publishing Home bought this building for $40,000 in 1925. By this year it had already published 1,250,000 copies of numerous magazines, booklets and leaflets including literature for Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution. The Baptist Publishing Home was founded in Mexico City in 1904.
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