Old Bnai Zion Synagogue
Also known as: Sunset Palace
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 at 906 North El Paso Street, this red-brick synagogue was the first home of El Paso's Orthodox Jewish Congregation Bnai Zion, chartered in 1900. Its design is unusual: a Greek Revival portico with four Tuscan-Doric columns and a shingled pediment is combined with Gothic Revival pointed-arch transoms and an ogee-arched door. The nomination notes this mixture was common on the Eastern Seaboard in the early 19th century but unexpected in far West Texas in 1912. The congregation sold the building in 1927 and moved. It then served St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, El Paso's first Eastern Orthodox church, and later became a boxing gym and a rented meeting space. Restored and converted in the early 1980s, it now operates as the Sunset Palace dance studio and cultural center. It is regarded as perhaps the earliest surviving synagogue in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas.
Significance in brief: It was home to El Paso's first Jewish congregation, Bnai Zion, from 1912 to 1927, and later to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. It is described as perhaps the earliest surviving synagogue in Trans-Pecos Texas. Its hybrid Greek Revival/Gothic Revival design is unusual for early 20th-century West Texas.
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 84001658, listed August 16, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 906 N. El Paso St., El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | August 16, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001658 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architectural style | Hybrid Greek Revival/Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; adapted as a dance studio and cultural center, with a modern apartment in the basement. The form notes the building is threatened by expansion of nearby El Paso Community College, whose parking lots surround it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.76045, -106.48987 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 84001658.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.