San Jacinto Square, Public square in Downtown El Paso, United States
San Jacinto Square is a public square in Downtown El Paso, United States. It features a flat, open plaza with green lawn, many leafy trees, curving light-colored walkways, and a low red-roofed structure among the trees.
The city acquired the land in 1881 and officially named the park in 1903 after the Battle of San Jacinto. In the early 1880s, a fence, pond, gazebo, and Chinese Elm trees were added, and alligators were introduced soon after.
Locals often call the square La Plaza de los Lagartos, recalling the alligators that once lived in a pond here. A fiberglass sculpture by artist Luis Jiménez now stands in the square, keeping that memory alive for passersby.
The square is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets and buildings, with paths that cross the lawn and benches for resting. Visitors can wander freely, but should keep an eye on their belongings in busier moments.
For decades, live alligators were the square's main attraction, with up to seven at a time in the pond. The last ones were moved to the zoo in 1965 after acts of vandalism, and the pond was later removed.
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