Chihuahuita (Little Chihuahua) was settled by Ricardo Brusuelas, who received a land grant from Spanish authorIties in 1818 and developed a prosperous ranch. After 1848, when the Rio Grande became part of the U.S.-Mexico border, new settlers arrived to farm the land. With the coming of the Santa Fe railroad in 1881, Chihuahuita began to grow dramatically. Soon a crowded urban area, it was designated the city's first ward in 1887. When the wooden Santa Fe bridge was built in 1892, the area became a major entry point for people and goods from Mexico into the American Southwest. The old Brusuelas land grant eventually became the property of Pedro Y. Garcia, who filed an 1894 claim in a Mexican court that led to the Chamizal land dispute, finally settled in 1963. The Mexican Revolution, which began in 1910, brought a surge of refugees north, many to Chihuahuita, and it served as a center of intrigue. It also provided views of the fighting across the Rio Grande. After the revolution, it continued to grow as a gateway to El Paso. At the same time, it became an overcrowded and neglected area, beset with housing and health problems. Renewed interest in the historic neighborhood in the late 20th century resulted in clean-up and rehabilitation efforts. In 1991, the City of El Paso declared Chihuahuita a historic district because of its long and significant history. Today, Chihuahuita is an important reminder of the region's early growth and development. (2003)
Chihuahuita (2003)
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Chihuahuita is a historical marker in El Paso, El Paso County, dedicated in 2003. It is one of 94 historical markers documented in El Paso County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 140 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 31.7482, -106.4870 near El Paso. The nearest cataloged historic site is Chihuahuita (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Silver Dollar Cafe, San Jacinto Plaza, and El Paso's Syrian-Lebanese Community.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5141012929. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
“Chihuahuita” names 2 distinct records in El Paso County. This page is the historical marker dedicated in 2003 in El Paso. The others:
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