Hotel Paso del Norte, building in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Hotel Paso del Norte is a ten-story building in downtown El Paso, Texas, built in the Chicago School style with brick walls and white decorative trim arranged in a U-shaped floor plan. A tower added in the 1980s extended the original structure on one side.
Zach White built the hotel in 1912 after witnessing a hotel fire in 1892, and he studied earthquake-resistant construction following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. During the Mexican Revolution, guests watched battles from the rooftop as fighting took place just across the border.
The walls inside display images of Frida Kahlo and traditional Mexican charro dress, reflecting the mixed character of this border city. Staff members wear cowboy hats, giving the place a feel that belongs equally to Texas and northern Mexico.
The hotel sits in the heart of downtown El Paso, making it easy to reach nearby shops, restaurants, and points of interest on foot. Underground parking is available for those arriving by car.
A deep basement well once supplied water for fire safety and the building's bathrooms, a system that was built directly into the structure from the start. This hidden feature shows how carefully the original builders planned for both safety and daily comfort long before modern plumbing was standard.
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