On Thursday, July 16, @ 6:30 p.m., at the main library, in the Maud Sullivan Room, you are invited to dive headfirst into the FANTASTIC tales of El Paso’s iconic streetcars and the legendary alligator park! Then, buckle up for a jigsaw puzzle showdown featuring vintage El Paso street scenes! 

P.S. The table that pieces together the most will win a delightful treat!

Mesilla Frontier Fair 2026

The Border Heritage Center will be at the event if you all want to come by for a fun time of learning and activities.  Please spread the word and share this flyer.

Event:
April 11, 2026
10am-5pm

Historic Mesilla Plaza
FREE

Link to more information: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18X76VjyD5/

EL PASO'S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS

Ever wonder about the secrets hidden in our neighborhoods? El Paso has several historic neighborhoods that reflect its rich cultural blend of Mexican, Spanish, and American influences.  These neighborhoods together tell the story of El Paso's evolution.  Some of the most notable include: Chihuahuita, Sunset Heights, El Segundo Barrio, Austin Terrace, and Magoffin Historic District.  

Joun us for an unforgettable journey into El Paso's past! Connect with neighbors at an exclusive history lecture.  Discover our roots, ignite your community pride - don't miss out on this fascinating, free event! 

Mandy the Mule 1887-1902 (El Paso life)

In December of 1882 the first route of the El Paso streetcar system began.  It is said that it was the only international car line in operation in the world at the time. (May 11, 1986, pg. 107, El Paso Times)

In about 1890 the street car service of El Paso consisted of one car, one driver, and one mule, Mandy.  Mandy was the mule who pulled a trolley car across an international bridge into Juárez.  As time went on, the name Mandy extended to all the trolley mules.  By 1899 the El Paso street car system had four or five mules and carts.

Mandy was a veteran of the San Antonio street car system and was known more for her stubborn streak than her timeliness, "Mandy had a reputation of being able to walk slower than retributive justice after a wealthy criminal, and could trot slower than any other mule could walk." (February 18, 1905, pg. 14, El Paso Herald)

She was the town pet and loved by all.

When electric trolley cars were installed, Mandy was retired.  On Jan 11, 1902 the first El Paso-Juárez electric car rode out of Pioneer Plaza and over the Stanton International Bridge.  This also marks El Paso as one of the first cites in the world to operate electric trolleys between two countries.  There was a large celebration and Mandy was placed on a flat car at the front of the electric trolley covered in adornments.  She was much more the object of interest than the street cars.  

There is a story that, after the procession, Mandy was escorted from the car and put into position alongside one of the new street cars and she, ". . . turned so as to present her heels to the enemy, and proceeded to do her best to kick that modern improvement into smithereens."  It was the first time that Mandy was known to kick in all of her El Paso life.

The day after the streetcar celebration Mandy was sent to an irrigated pasture, with grass and alfalfa that was knee high, to end her days in peace.  She died a few days later, it is said she died of grief and a broken heart from no longer being surrounded by her loved people of El Paso.  She was not more than 50 or 60 years old.

According to an El Paso Herald article (February 18, 1905, pg. 14, El Paso Herald):

"There is a road leading out of El Paso to the southward.  It is a good road and a much traveled road.  It is the favorite road with El Pasoans when they go pleasure driving.  One mile from town, beside this road, there is a grave, and at the head of this grave there is a stone, not a board, but a sizeable well squared block of granite, and on the face of that stone is deeply carved one word, and that word is, 'Mandy.'"

January 11, 1902, pg. 1, El Paso Herald 

February 18, 1905, pg. 14, El Paso Herald

In 1955 a cast iron replica of Mandy, by Howard Hoffman (a former Irvin High School teacher) and James Goodman, with a repaired and repainted No. 1 trolley car with a plastic figure driver (Pedro) were put on display.

Border Heritage Center Vertical Files

September 11, 1955, pg. 15, El Paso Times

In 2006, Howard Hoffman, was honored for his 2100 pound cast iron Mandy.  City Council proclaimed April 11 as "Mr. Howard Hoffman Day." He was a former art major at Texas Western College when he was commissioned by the Odd Fellows Association in 1952 to build a statue to serve as a reminder of when El Paso relied on mule-drawn trolleys.

Hoffman was in Arkansas and unable to travel to be at the council meeting but he told of how it took them about two months to build the plastic model of Mandy for the Grubbs Foundry.  The work was done in the front of their home on campus on Shuster Ave.  They were paid $100 each.

What Hoffman had to say about Mandy:

"Where is it?  Is it in good shape?  Where are they going to put it?  I wish I could get to (El Paso) to see it, but I don't think I'll be able to.  I don't remember much, but I remember that mule.  Is it being taken care of?"

What Prince McKenzie, vice president (in 2006) of Exhibits and Programs at the El Paso Railroad & Transportation Museum had to say about Mandy:

"The mule represents the end of the animal-drawn transportation era in El Paso to mechanical power. . . they could only work for two hours, so there were several, but Mandy became the town pet."

(April 8, 2006, pg. 15, El Paso Times)

1952-1969

San Jacinto Plaza

1969

Cleveland Square, behind downtown library

Border Heritage Center Vertical Files

1976

Sun Carnival Parade

Mandy left her glass enclosure at Cleveland Square to ride in the Sun Carnival parade.  Mandy and El Paso's first international trolley car made up part of a float entitled 'Transition,' which was sponsored by the Airport and Mass Transit Board.

1981

Union Depot

Mandy and her cart were being refurbished.

1986

Back at Cleveland Square

1994

Mandy and her cart were being repaired.

2005

Sun Metro

The Main Library was being renovated so there were plans to display her at Union Depot by end of 2006, but she didn't fit through the door, so Mandy and her cart were moved to various Sun Metro storage locations until arriving at the Sun Metro Union Depot storage after the Sun Metro Explosion.  She has stayed in storage for over 20 years.

2006

Mr. Howard Hoffman is officially recognized for building Mandy.

Mandy at Border Heritage

At the Border Heritage Center we have small Mandy Replica that was an animatronic at the El Paso History Museum.  At one point there was a fence that surrounded the El Paso History Museum that had Mandy's face embedded into it but that is no longer there.

From when Border Heritage was at Sergio Troncoso for the latest Main remodel.

2025

Mandy at Sun Metro, Union Station Storage

Thankfully, we were able to track Mandy down with the help from Sun Metro staff.  Thanks to Carlos and Paul from Sun Metro for allowing us to come and take some photos of her for our collection.  🙌

Carlos & Paul from Sun Metro 💖

Mandy and her cart have been in storage for around 20 years.  Her harness and driver, Pedro, have been lost to time but other than that Mandy and her cart look really good.  The doors and flaps of the trolley cart function with minimal resistance.  Some photos are down below

    

"El Paso's original traction company was formed by two pioneer El Pasoans in 1882.  They were Joseph Magoffin and Zack T. White.  This car was their first piece of equipment.  It ran between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico.  The Mule's name was 'Mandy.' - El Paso Historical Society"

"This mule car, the first transportation between El Paso and Juarez, was presented to the Historical Society September 15, 1955 by Jesse B. Binkley, it's construction in 1901, to be placed in San Jacinto Plaza for permanent care. - El Paso Historical Society"

Claudia & Ashley from Border Heritage Center

"John Stephenson Company, Limited, New York"

"Mandy"
by
El Paso
Odd Fellows Lodge 284
2505 Montana St.

There are no current plans to display Mandy, or her cart, but she represents an important part of El Paso's Transportation History.

💖⭐💖

It would be nice to have Mandy and her cart displayed once again, whether it be at Union Depot, the Main Library, or another downtown location.  Mandy was so loved by the people of El Paso and, it is the belief of the person writing this post, that Mandy loved the people of El Paso.

Glad we found you Mandy. 

💖⭐💖

To Learn More about Mandy and El Paso's Transportation History

El Paso Transportation Search through the El Paso Public Library Search:

https://elpasopl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=el+paso+transportation&te= 

SOME BOOKS at Border Heritage Center

History of transportation in the El Paso/Juarez area by Fred Morales

SW 388 M792H 2002

Streetcars at the Pass by Ron Dawson

R SW 388.42 D327S V.1

From mule car to motor bus : history of our Transportation Division by El Paso Electric Company

R SW 385.1 EL6F

VERTICAL FILES at Border Heritage Center

MVF - Juarez - Transportation

MVF - Mexico - Transportation

SWVF - Transportation

EPVF - Rio Grande Valley Traction Co. (see also Transportation; Electric Company)

EPVF - Transportation

EPVF - Transportation - El Paso City Lines

EPVF - Transportation - EP City Lines Rio Grande, Valley Traction (See also EP Electric Co. )

EPVF - Electric Co. - History (1 of 2)

EPVF - Electric Co. - History (2 of 2)

LINKS

El Paso Times - Tales From the Morgue - 1939:  Mandy Honored in New Location

https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/history/blogs/tales-from-the-morgue/2013/05/16/1969-mandy-honored-in-new-location/31494977/

El Paso Inc. - Meet Mandy the Mule

https://www.elpasoinc.com/special_sections/el_paso_kids_inc/meet-mandy-the-mule/article_14b15302-c1cf-11e8-841c-b7c6f8987367.html

Digie - Mandy the Mule

https://www.digie.org/en/media/6295

Cowgirl Cocktail

https://kayturnbaugh.substack.com/p/mandy-the-mule-a-beloved-character

Sky Rise Cities

https://skyrisecities.com/news/2016/07/once-upon-tram-century-cross-border-service-el-paso-juarez-streetcar-line.21842

EPCC Library Research Guide - Borderlands: El Paso Trolley First to Connect Two Nations (with 2017 update)

https://epcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=754275&p=5406749

Sun Metro - El Paso Mass Transit History

https://sunmetro.net/about/history

El Paso Streetcar - Moving Forward - El Paso's Streetcar History

https://www.crrma.org/streetcar

REMEMBERING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION - A FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY EXHIBIT

November 20, 2025, marked the 115th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). In 1910, Francisco I. Madero, a candidate for president of Mexico, wrote the Plan de San Luis Potosí, a document that called for the Mexican people to rise up in arms on November 20, 1910, against then-President Porfirio Díaz. Díaz’s presidency had long been seen as a dictatorship by many, and Madero argued that the only way for Mexico to move forward was to overthrow Díaz. Years of internal struggle and violence followed in Mexico. To learn more about the Mexican Revolution, visit the traveling panel exhibit from the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin, *A Fight for Democracy, The First Years of the Mexican Revolution*, now displayed in the Main Library. Additional exhibits featuring archival materials from the library’s Border Heritage Center are also available for viewing. All exhibits will be available through the end of the year. 

Traveling panel exhibit from the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin, A Fight For Democracy, The First Years of the Mexican Revolution

BHC's display

BHC'S private collection

Genealogy Resources @ the BHC

 

  Unique Historical Treasures Featured at this year's 2025 Border Archives Bazaar

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 10 am- 4 pm, in Las Cruces, NM, join us for a fun and educational event that showcases unique and historic archival materials from the border region.  The El Paso Public Library Border Heritage Center, along with other libraries, archives, and museums of southern New Mexico, West Texas, and the borderlands, will be there to showcase unique and historic archival materials from the border region. The bazaar is organized by the Border Regional Archives Group (BRAG). It features rare documents, photographs, maps, publications, and more, highlighting the unique history and cultural heritage of our region. This year’s theme is Voices through time - Voces a traves del tiempo.  

The event brings together resources from more than a dozen libraries, archives, museums and historical societies of southern New Mexico and west Texas. Participating institutions include: NMSU Library Archives and Special Collections, El Paso Public Library Border Heritage Center, the UTEP Library’s C.L. Sonnichsen Special Collections, Texas Tech University’s Southwestern Collection, San Elizario Los Portales Museum, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Doña Ana County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, El Paso County Historical Society, the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, and Sul Ross State University Archives of the Big Bend, among others. The Bazaar highlights the role that archives play in preserving and promoting our cultural heritage. Archivists, librarians, and museum curators will be on hand to discuss and answer questions about archives, regional history, and preservation of original documents.

A series of film screenings throughout the day in the museum’s theater will highlight historical footage and oral history interviews with long-time residents of the border region.

For more information, please contact: Dennis Daily, Archives and Special Collections, New Mexico State University Library, ddaily@nmsu.edu, 575-646-4756, or Claudia Rivers, Special Collections, University of Texas at El Paso Library, crivers@utep.edu, 915-747-6725.

Temporary change in services for September 20, 2025

 

Jake Erlich AKA Jack Earle

Jacob Rheuben Erlich

Jacob Rheuben Erlich AKA Jake Erlich (July 3, 1906 – July 18, 1952), professionally credited as Jack Earle, was an American silent film actor and sideshow performer. Earle claimed to be one of the world's tallest humans standing 8 ft 6.5 in (2.60m) however some sources say his actual height was only around 7 ft 6 in (229 cm). For 14 years, he traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, then became a salesman.  He was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1906, the son of Jewish immigrants.  He went to El Paso High and graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and in January 1952 he retired and returned to El Paso, TX for health reasons.

He is referenced in Tom Waits's song "Get Behind The Mule" (at 1:39).

https://youtu.be/O_v2HChe350?si=naA5SrsKKTVc95o0

He died on July 18 at Hotel Dieu in El Paso, TX, at age 46 and is buried in the B'Nai Zion section of Concordia Cemetery in the Erlich family plot.

July 19, 1952 Obituaries

For more information:

Visit the Border Heritage Center - Come and see what we have!

From the card catalogue

    

Books owned by Erlich

From our Vertical Files

Check out the biography:

https://elpasopl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=Erlich%2C+Andrew.#

The Long Shadows: The Story of Jake Erlich is a fascinating true-life novel about the extraordinary life of Jacob Reuben Erlich, who, at 8 foot 6, was known as the tallest man in the world. Drawing on ten years of research culled from family lore, newspaper archives, historical documents and the recorded recollections of Jake’s contemporaries, author Dr. Andy Erlich weaves a fascinating bio-fictional account of a remarkable man and the cast of colorful characters who knew him.

Some Other Websites:

Digie: https://www.digie.org/en/media/11185 & https://www.digie.org/en/media/1507

Elevate El Paso: https://youtu.be/sm3iKDDkzk4?si=voKIJgh6-IjWQGCt

Vintage Everyday: https://www.vintag.es/2023/07/jack-earle.html

KLAQ: https://klaq.com/el-pasoan-tallest-man-in-the-world/

Carnival World Museum: https://showmensmuseum.org/traveling-carnival-and-circus-sideshows/circus-tall-man-jack-earle/

Sideshow World:  https://sideshowworld.com/41-GG/103-Jack/CG-Earle.html

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Earle

Tales From the Morgue: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/history/blogs/tales-from-the-morgue/2012/04/06/1950-el-paso-giant-goes-over-big-in-new-career/31505571/

Texas Hill Country: https://texashillcountry.com/jack-earle-larger-than-life-texan/

Bygonery: https://www.bygonely.com/jack-earle-of-el-paso/

EPCC Lib Guide: https://epcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=754275&p=5406555

DIGITAL TROST COLLECTION

 New Collection Alert!

The Trost Collection features architectural plans and drawings from El Paso architectural firm, Trost & Trost. Led by lead architect, Henry C. Trost, the firm left an indelible mark across El Paso and the surrounding southwest region. The collection illustrates the architectural past of early 20th century El Paso and reveals the vast array of architectural styles that filled El Paso's downtown skyline, commercial/industrial sector, and residential neighborhoods.

To access, visit our BHC Trost Digital Collections website at Explore Our Collections - Border Heritage Center Digital Collections

 

      

                              

Funded by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services through a grant to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (Grant # LS-256843-OLS-24). (2025)