Sunset Heights Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Trost, Henry C., House
Why it's listed
Sunset Heights is a residential neighborhood of roughly 600 principal buildings set on a rocky escarpment above the Rio Grande in El Paso. Platted in 1884, it was built up mainly in the first decades of the 20th century, after part of the hill was leveled in 1902 to supply fill for the downtown Union Station. Streets bend and slope around the terrain, so some houses sit on high terraces with granite retaining walls while others have sunken gardens and full basements. Homes have masonry or stucco over wood frames, a response to scarce lumber, and range from modest bungalows to large Classical, Tudor and Spanish Colonial Revival houses. Architect Henry C. Trost lived here and designed several buildings, including his own Prairie-style house. The district was recognized for its planning, its architecture and its ties to figures on both sides of the border. Decline began in the 1930s, and restoration efforts have grown since 1976.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant for community planning, because streets and house sites were adapted to a steep escarpment and landscaped as a desert oasis. It is also significant for architecture, with masonry-built homes in many styles, including several designed by Henry C. Trost. It further cites association with important people and with international relations between the U.S. and Mexico.
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 88002672, listed December 8, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Heisig Ave., River Ave., N. El Paso St., and I-10, El Paso |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | December 8, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002672 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1895-1938 |
| Architect / builder | various (including Henry C. Trost, Edward Kneezell, Mabel Welch) |
| Architectural style | Mixed early 20th century styles: Bungalow, American Foursquare, Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Prairie, Queen Anne, Mission Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly residential and largely intact; 91 of 604 principal buildings are noncontributing. Some original houses were replaced by apartments after World War II, and many have been restored since 1976. |
| Acreage | 170 |
| Coordinates | 31.76314, -106.49873 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 88002672.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7641273
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.