El Paso, Texas

El Paso is a big city in Texas.

It sits by the Rio Grande river. The river marks the border with Mexico.

Across the water is a city called Ciudad Juárez.

Many people live in this area. It is a very busy place. Many people there speak two ways to talk. They use English and Spanish.

The city has many tall mountains nearby.

You can also see many trees and plants. It is a place where many people meet. It is a special part of the West.

El Paso is a large city in Texas.

It sits right on the Rio Grande river. The river is the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Across the water lies the city of Ciudad Juárez. This area is a very busy place. Many people live here. In 2020, over 678,000 people lived in El Paso.

Many people in this region speak two languages. They use both English and Spanish. This makes it a very special place to work.

The city has a long history. People lived in this region for thousands of years. Early groups were maize farmers. Later, Spanish explorers visited the area.

El Paso is also near big mountains.

The city is home to a major university. It is called the University of Texas at El Paso. People also go there to watch college football. They play a big game called the Sun Bowl. The city also has many military bases. These bases help protect the area. It is a key part of West Texas.

El Paso is a large and busy city in West Texas.

It sits right on the edge of the Rio Grande river. This river acts as the border between the United States and Mexico.

Across the water, you will find the city of Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. These cities together form a huge international area. Many people call this region the Paso del Norte or the Borderplex.

It is home to a massive group of 2.7 million people. This area has the largest group of bilingual workers in the Western Hemisphere.

Life in El Paso is shaped by its unique location and people.

About 81% of the people living there are Hispanic. This makes it the largest city in the U.S. with a Hispanic majority throughout its whole history. The city is a very important place for many different things. It is a major center for making goods and moving items. It also has a large medical center for research and care.

People also go there to study at the University of Texas at El Paso.

The history of this land goes back a very long time.

People have lived in this region for 10,000 to 12,000 years. Early groups of people were maize farmers who grew corn. Later, Spanish explorers traveled through the area. One explorer, Don Juan de Oñate, stayed by the river in 1598.

He even held a Thanksgiving Mass there on April 30 of that year. In the 1600s, a village called El Paso del Norte was founded on the south bank of the river.

As time went on, the city changed and grew very quickly.

In the 1880s, new railroads arrived in the area. This caused the population to boom to 10,000 people by the 1890s. During this time, the city was known as the "Six-shooter Capital" because it was quite wild.

Later, the city became much more settled and safe. It has won the All-America City Award five times. Between 1997 and 2014, it was often ranked as one of the safest large cities in the country.

Today, El Paso is a place where many different things happen at once.

It is a major hub for the military and the government. Large bases like Fort Bliss are located in the area. The city also hosts the Sun Bowl, which is a famous college football game.

You can see the beautiful Franklin Mountains rising near the city. Whether you are looking at the mountains or the busy streets, there is much to discover.

El Paso is a major city located in West Texas, United States.

It serves as the county seat for El Paso County. The city is quite large and holds significant regional importance. It is the 22nd-most populous city in the entire United States. Within Texas, it ranks as the sixth-most populous city. In the West Texas region, it is the most populous city. According to the 2020 census, the city had 678,815 residents. The broader El Paso metropolitan area includes about 879,000 people.

The city sits directly on the Rio Grande river.

This river forms the international border between the United States and Mexico. Directly across the water lies Ciudad Juárez. This is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Together, these cities form a massive international metropolitan area. Some people call this region the Paso del Norte or the Borderplex. This region contains 2.7 million people. It holds the largest bilingual and binational workforce in the Western Hemisphere.

El Paso is a center for education, medicine, and industry. It is home to the University of Texas at El Paso. The city also features the Medical Center of the Americas. This is the only medical research and care provider complex in West Texas. The city hosts three publicly traded companies. It is also a major hub for manufacturing and retail. The city has a strong federal and military presence. Large installations like Fort Bliss are located here. Other sites include Biggs Army Airfield and the William Beaumont Army Medical Center.

The history of this region spans many thousands of years.

Evidence like Folsom points suggests human habitation for 10,000 to 12,000 years. Early inhabitants were maize farmers who grew corn. Later, various tribes like the Manso, Suma, and Jumano lived there. Spanish explorers also traveled through this land. In 1598, Don Juan de Oñate stayed by the Rio Grande. He celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass there on April 30. In 1659, Fray Garcia de San Francisco founded El Paso del Norte on the south bank.

Political changes shaped the modern borders of the city. During the mid-1800s, the region was a site of negotiation. The Mexican–American War took place in this area. The Battle of El Bracito occurred on Christmas Day in 1846. Later, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo changed the border. It placed the north bank settlements in the United States. The Compromise of 1850 eventually set the current boundary. This boundary placed El Paso on the Texas side. The U.S. Senate used the 32nd parallel to draw this line.

El Paso experienced rapid growth due to the arrival of railroads. In 1881, several major railroads arrived in the area. This caused the population to boom to 10,000 by the 1890 census. During this era, the city was known as the "Six-shooter Capital." It was considered a wild and lawless boomtown. Gambling and other vices were very common during this time. However, the city changed significantly during the 20th century. It moved away from being a wild town toward becoming a stable center. It has since won the All-America City Award five times.

Today, the city is known for its unique cultural identity. It is the second-largest absolute-majority-Hispanic city in the United States. About 81% of the residents are Hispanic. It is the largest U.S. city to have a Hispanic majority throughout its history. The city also hosts the annual Sun Bowl.

This is a college football postseason game. It is the second-oldest bowl game in the country. The landscape is also defined by the Franklin Mountains.

These mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to the urban area.