People and Events that forged the Pass to the North

While Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts is celebrated for the Pilgrims' landing in 1620, El Paso's story stretches further into the past. In 1598, Spanish explorers held a Thanksgiving mass on the banks of the Rio Grande22 years before the Pilgrims' famed landing. El Paso and its surrounding region have been shaped by a rich tapestry of historical events, marked by the struggles, hopes, and sacrifices of people from many different backgrounds. Their stories continue to fill the chapters of this singular city, located at the heart of the borderlands