Sunset Heights
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Originally platted as Satterthwaite's addition to the city of El Paso, Sunset Heights was one of the first planned residential subdivisions in the country. New York native J. Fisher Satterthwaite developed the area, which was named in a newspaper contest. Construction began in 1884 and continued until 1920. A central, diamond-shaped park was the terminus for an electric trolley which ran into the central business district. Recognized as the elite section of town, Sunset Heights offered spectacular views of the Rio Grande and Mexico, and boasted extensive landscaping. It was home to a diverse ethnic population, including wealthy former citizens of Mexico, prominent anglo-Americans, and many Jewish families. A number of homes in the district were designed by noted El Paso architect Henry C. Trost (1860-1933), including his own residence at 1013 W. Yandell. The works of other prominent local architects are also represented here. Most homes here are of brick construction, two to three stories in height. An adobe house at the corner of Prospect Street and Lawton Avenue is the only remaining example of its type in the neighborhood. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Laid out beginning in 1884 as Satterthwaite's Addition and renamed in a newspaper contest, El Paso's Sunset Heights was among the country's earliest planned residential subdivisions. An electric trolley ran from its diamond-shaped central park into downtown, and the elite neighborhood's brick homes—many designed by noted architect Henry C. Trost—looked out over the Rio Grande and Mexico. It drew a strikingly diverse population, including wealthy Mexican émigrés, prominent Anglos, and many Jewish families.
Why it matters
Sunset Heights captures the confident, cosmopolitan boom of a turn-of-the-century border city and the early American experiment in planned, streetcar suburbs.
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Related people
- · J. Fisher Satterthwaite
- · Henry C. Trost
Themes & tags
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