Hotel Paso del Norte
Why it's listed
Rising ten stories over a full city block in downtown El Paso, this hotel was built between 1910 and 1912 for pioneer businessman Zach T. White and opened on November 28, 1912. Henry Trost's firm, Trost and Trost, designed it with a steel and concrete frame, gypsum partitions from White Sands, New Mexico, and red brick walls with white terra cotta trim. White and his engineer studied buildings that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire before settling on the design. The exterior shows Chicago School influence with Beaux Arts details, while the lobby, made by Italian artisans, features scagliola, serpentine marble, European chandeliers and a Tiffany-designed stained glass dome. The site once held Ben Dowell's saloon, store and post office. Over the years the hotel hosted figures such as General Pershing and Eleanor Roosevelt, and in 1968 it was the setting for a luncheon finalizing the Chamizal Treaty settlement. Interior changes were small, and the lobby remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the most elegant hotels in the Trans-Pecos region and a good example of Henry Trost's blend of Chicago School and Beaux Arts ideas in a reinforced concrete and brick high-rise. It also stands on a site important to early El Paso, is tied to pioneer Zach T. White, and has a Tiffany-designed stained glass dome in its lobby. It served as a social center and hosted many prominent guests.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002933, listed January 5, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 115 El Paso St., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | January 5, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002933 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (opened Nov. 28, 1912) |
| Architect / builder | J. E. Lewis-construction engineer; Trost & Trost, El Paso, Texas |
| Architectural style | Chicago School/Beaux Arts influence (Sullivanesque division into base, shaft and cornice) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The 1978 form lists the hotel as occupied and in excellent condition, with minimal interior alterations and a full renovation planned. A later 1980 data sheet gives its present use as vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.88891, -106.57141 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002933.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5911829
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.