El Paso TX Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mary Stanton

Mary Stanton was born in Georgia in 1862. She came to El Paso to work as a teacher. After retiring she continued to read, research, and write. She donated between 600 and 800 books to, and helped establish, the first public library in El Paso and the state of Texas.

Answer: Alligators were kept in a pool there

People nicknamed the square "alligator park"; it attracted many visitors. In the wintertime it got very cold and people trying to keep the alligators warm would wrap them in coffee sacks and take them to the saloon to warm by the stoves. The square was named San Jacinto Plaza in 1902.

The alligators lived in the square until the 1960's when they were removed for their own safety and well-being. They are remembered today by a statue in the middle of the plaza.

Answer: Battle of El Brazito

Colonel Alexander Doniphan, a lawyer from Kentucky, commanded the First Regiment of Mounted Missouri Volunteers who were assisting regular US troops guard the profitable Santa Fe trade concerns in the area. On Christmas Day in 1846 they battled a large Mexican force who had ridden out from what is present day Ciudad Juarez (known as El Paso del Norte at the time). Colonel's troops took El Paso and Chihuahua before joining forces with General John Wood and Zackery Taylor.

Answer: Irrigation canal

Much of the area around El Paso was semi-arid when the Spanish first arrived there. It was critical to build an irrigation system in order to try and establish settlements in the area. The earliest acequias were dug near Ysleta below El Paso by the Pueblo Indians under supervision of Spanish friars.

Answer: Pursued the bandit Arango

Better known as Pancho Villa, the bandit, after evading US forces for many years, turned himself in to the Mexican government in 1920. They gave him a general's salary and a home in Sauz. In 1923 he was assassinated while returning from bank business in Chihuahua. On a better note, General Pershing was sent to France the same year and became Commander-in-chief of American expeditionary forces and played a large part in winning World War I.

Answer: Fort Bliss

During the Civil War the fort was occupied by the Confederates for some time, but was retaken by Union forces. In 1867 the post was swept away by a flood and moved three miles to the north to Camp Concordia in 1869 and was renamed Fort Bliss. It was closed down in 1877 but reopened in 1878 and moved to downtown El Paso. In 1893 Fort Bliss moved to its sixth and present location.

Answer: Victorio

For many years the US Army and the Texas Rangers pursued him with no success. He was finally hunted down and killed by the Mexican military.

Answer: T. V. Munson

Mr. Munson was credited with classifying and developing numerous grape varieties while in Texas. The wine industry prospered until the start of prohibition in the early 1920's.

Answer: Taft

President Taft was the one to suggest the meeting in hope of getting support from the Mexican president for continuing the investment of American money in Mexico. Nineteen months later Diaz was overthrown by Mexican revolutionaries.

Answer: Stephenson

Hugh Stephenson was a pioneer and fur trader from Kentucky and his wife Juana was the aristocratic daughter of a wealthy merchant from El Paso del Norte. Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson were some of the wealthiest families in the area from the 1830's through the 1850's. Being wealthy and powerful, they felt they had an obligation to help the poor, sick, and needy of the El Paso area and did much good for the community. Hugh died in 1870. Juana died in 1856 after being gored by a deer she had raised from a fawn.