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
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Sunday, March 29, 2026
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Thursday, March 5, 2026
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!
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Monday, December 8, 2025
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.'"
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| January 11, 1902, pg. 1, El Paso Herald |
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| 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.
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| Border Heritage Center Vertical Files |
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| 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
Cleveland Square, behind downtown library
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| 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.
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| 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. 🙌
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| 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
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| "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" |
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| "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" |
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| "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:
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
El Paso Inc. - Meet Mandy the Mule
Digie - Mandy the Mule
Cowgirl Cocktail
Sky Rise Cities
EPCC Library Research Guide - Borderlands: El Paso Trolley First to
Connect Two Nations (with 2017 update)
Sun Metro - El Paso Mass Transit History
El Paso Streetcar - Moving Forward - El Paso's Streetcar History
Saturday, November 22, 2025
REMEMBERING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION - A FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY EXHIBIT
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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.
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| 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 |
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| BHC's display |
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| BHC'S private collection |
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Monday, September 29, 2025
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.
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Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Monday, September 1, 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).
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 |
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| Books owned by Erlich |
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| From our Vertical Files |
Check out the biography:
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.
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
Some Other Websites:
Digie: https://www.digie.org/en/media/11185 & https://www.digie.org/en/media/1507Elevate 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
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
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)
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Juneteenth
Juneteenth in El Paso, TX
Brief overview
The word Juneteenth stands for June Nineteenth, and it is also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Black Independence Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Juneteenth National Independence Day.
On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that as of January 1, 1863, "all persons held as slaves" in areas under rebellion against the Union would be free. However, this announcement did not reach Texas until June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to announce General Order No. 3. This order, issued by Union Army General Gordon Granger, granted freedom to enslaved individuals in Texas.
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| National Museum of African American History Gift of Ralph E. Becker |
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| General Order No. 3 |
Texas was the last state to free slaves and the first to declare "Emancipation Day" as an official holiday. The newly freed African Americans did things that were once prohibited to them, such as dancing, singing, barbecuing, etc. As a result, they left their owners and started a new life.
In 1938, former Governor of Texas James Alfred proclaimed the following:
"Whereas, June 19, 1938, this year falls on Sunday; NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES V. ALFRED, Governor of the State of Texas, do set aside and proclaim the day of June 20, 1938, as the date for observance of EMANCIPATION DAY in Texas, and do urge all members of the Negro race in Texas to observe the day in a manner appropriate to its importance to them." ~ retrieved from Wikipedia-Juneteenth.
In 1979, Al Edwards, a Democratic State Representative from Houston, proposed that Juneteenth be officially recognized as a paid holiday in Texas. The bill passed through the Texas State Legislature and was finally approved on January 1, 1980. Juneteenth was established as a federal holiday in the United States on June 16, 2021, by President Joe Biden and the House of Representatives.
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| El Paso Times, Sunday, June 19, 1994 |
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| El Paso Times, Sunday, June 19, 1994, p. 1A |
For decades, El Pasoans have celebrated Juneteenth in many different ways, like parades,
pageants, festivals, music, free food, craft booths, free entertainment, dance,
breakfasts, traditional barbecues, festivals, and even fireworks. As a matter of fact, multiple organizations and clubs, including the McCall Neighborhood Center, Interclub Council of El Paso, and UTEP's African American Studies Program, coordinate and sponsor the festivities.
The clippings below are from The El Paso Times newspaper, which has published accounts of the festivities over the years.
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| El Paso Herald, June 19, 1918 |
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| El Paso Times, May 29, 1939 |
El Paso Times, June 15, 1941Suggested books on Juneteenth that are available for checkout at The Border Heritage Center:
From the Border Heritage Center Digital Collections:
Sources:
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