Memories of "old" Downtown El Paso

[ZSP]

I just wanted to say...I love this thread. I've lived here since 1968 and am loving the look back in time. There's been huge changes in the El Paso landscape even in the almost half century I've been here.

Keep the memories and photographs coming!

[joqua]

Originally Posted by atrabilius

I didn't know about the springs or the soil conditions in Kern Place.

Below is a Google Street view of the one lot that still appears to have some seepage, and I believe I can see a deposit of salt at the spot abutting the sidewalk in foreground. At one time the runoff from this lot kept the street white with a salty deposit and the ground near the mesquite bushes was always wet and muddy. It appears that the lot has been bulldozed to make it flatter at some point, judging by the appearance now.

The house above right in the photo has some historic interest since it was the boyhood home of identical twins Bob and Dick Knapp, two of El Paso's home-grown millionaire real estate developer/builders. Their father was one of the more notable professors at Texas College of Mines/Texas Western/UTEP where he eventually became "emeritus" professor.

There were also two Mathematics and Physics professors hired in 1932 one of which was E. J. Knapp, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Physics, who chaired the newly created department. In 1940, the Mathematics and Physics Department became part of the School of Arts and Sciences of the College of Mines and Metallurgy.

1965 The Department of Mathematics came into being as a separate department, in the School of Arts and Sciences, in 1965. At that time E. J. Knapp stepped down from his administrative position as Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Physics and was named Professor Emeritus of Physics.

[cmswazey]

Wow. I remember Bancology. At the time I worked there, they did proof work for many different banks and had their own location.

I found El Paso challenging. As a young Army wife with very little money, I walked and took buses everywhere. Although El Paso is a large city, the buses stopped running at 7:30. Unfortunately, my shift with Bancology sometimes ended much later than that. I also was harassed by very aggressive men whenever I'd walk down the street. I also found a lot of rudeness at many businesses.

There were many cute shops downtown and I liked the library system, however.

I surely hope things are better there now.

[md9680]

Originally Posted by cmswazey

Wow. I remember Bancology. At the time I worked there, they did proof work for many different banks and had their own location.

It was my first programming job and I got it pretty much on the say-so of my step-father, one of (back then) the few vice-presidents of the State National Bank. Must've been in 1979 or thereabouts and was in that secure Bancology building (was it off Airport Blvd?) only a few weeks before being relocated to a 4th floor corner office in the new SNB building downtown. I then used to ride my bike to and from work from near the northern terminus of Stanton street where our apartment was located. Wonderful coasting trip most of the way down. Good workout on the way home! Shortly after that, I began jumping around the country to different IT programming jobs to "raise our standard of living". El Paso still seems to be low on the wage/salary scale. But I'd move back, given the right circumstances. My wife and I were also "financially stressed" at the time and we would scrounge around for pennies and nickels in order to be able to go to Pancho's for Sunday lunch. I can remember paying for a couple dollars of gas with a small mustard jar full of pennies!

[valpro]

In 1971, I traveled through El Paso from Mexico. I remember eating at a lunch counter. It must have been close to the bus terminal. I was heading north to Canada, so I presume I took a Greyhound. Is the bus terminal still in the same place? Can anyone guess at what lunch counter I might have eaten. It was long and all the girls working there were Mexican. If anyone can help me, I would appreciate it.

[joqua]

The area around the Greyhound bus terminal has changed several times since 1971. Location changed last to S. Santa Fe St. a year or so ago and there is still a restaurant in the bus terminal. Lunch counter could have been a number of downtown locations in those days (1971).

[valpro]

Thanks, Joqua, Do you remember where it was in the 70's? I am writing a piece and it would be nice to know.

[wilberry]

The Kress ? dept store on the lower level had a lunch counter at Oregon and mills. The Greyhound bus station was where the Art Museum is ....that was 25 years ago...

[valpro]

Thanks, I will go with that, unless someone else might know for sure about things in 1971.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by valpro

Thanks, I will go with that, unless someone else might know for sure about things in 1971.

I don't know where it was in 1971, but it was located across from the back of the present Art Museum and across the intersection from the Chamber of Commerce - at the corner of West Main and N. Santa Fe.