Silver Dollar Cafe
Why it's listed
Near the U.S.-Mexico border in south El Paso, the Silver Dollar Cafe is a single-story brick complex at 1021 S. Mesa Street. Its L-shaped plan holds fourteen two-room units, a corner grocery later converted to a cafe, and a courtyard enclosed by a six-foot stone wall with a two-unit outhouse. Built around 1919 by an unknown builder, it housed Mexican immigrants in the Chihuahuita barrio during a period of Progressive Era reform aimed at more sanitary housing. Its brick construction was modern, but the two-room units and courtyard followed older Mexican tenement practice. During the 1920s through 1944 the units were also used as rented cribs for prostitution, which gave the complex local notoriety. It is described as one of two surviving local structures linked to that trade. The building has seen few alterations and has been continuously occupied, and it is now being rehabilitated as apartments.
Significance in brief: The revised nomination argues that the building was modest sanitary housing for Mexican immigrants in the Chihuahuita barrio. It reflects Progressive Era housing reform and the continued use of traditional Mexican courtyard and two-room plans. It also gained local notoriety in the 1920s-1940s as one of two remaining structures tied to El Paso's prostitution trade.
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 86002618, listed August 14, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1021 S. Mesa, El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | August 14, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002618 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Unembellished vernacular; the form makes no reference to any fashionable style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as apartments; being rehabilitated into an eleven-unit apartment complex, with the cafe space converted to an apartment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Segundo Barrio Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.74960, -106.48453 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 86002618.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107322395
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.