Historic Sunset Heights, El Paso — Part 1

A Typical Sunset Heights Street View

At the end of last month I presented to you in two parts the views and architecture of one of El Paso’s most desirable and oldest areas — Kern Place — which has been around since 1914. I hope that I didn’t leave you with the impression that this is the oldest existing residential area in the city. It’s not.

Restored Sunset Heights Mansion

Before Kern Place became “The Place” for El Paso’s wealthy, Sunset Heights held that distinction for nearly twenty years. And not just wealthy El Pasoans lived there. Wealthy Mexicans such as José Doroteo Arango Arámbula (a.k.a., Francisco “Pancho” Villa) also owned and lived in a Sunset Heights property until his ill-advised 1916 attack on Columbus, New Mexico, made him the target of the U.S. Government and U.S. Army General John “Blackjack” Pershing (pretty colorful if rather obscure history we have here in El Paso).

Restored Sunset Heights Mansion

As with some of the more prestigious homes in Kern, many of the more desirable homes in Sunset Heights were designed and built by famed El Paso architect Henry C. Trost. By the way, Mr. Trost had two brothers who were twins — Gustavus Adolphus Trost, who was the business manager of Trost & Trost, and Adolphus Gustavus Trost who worked for the company as a structural engineer. Does that remind you of anything? Larry, his brother Darryl, and his other brother Darryl, perhaps?

One of this area’s more famous buildings and perhaps the most painted and photographed building in all of El Paso is the charming Sunset Grocery.