Today we’ll concentrate on the San Elizario portion of El Paso’s Mission Trail. Why? Because tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And, as we all know, the first Thanksgiving Feast took place in San Elizario on April 30, 1598. You did know that, didn’t you? I mean, you didn’t believe that stuff you “learned” in grade school about the Pilgrims and their little get together in 1621, did you?
The person responsible for this first Thanksgiving was Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate. Don Juan was passing through on his way to New Mexico, probably headed for Santa Fe’s great art galleries and exquisite gourmet restaurants. But, in recognition that the trip would be a long one because I-25 had not yet reached I-10 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Don Juan stopped in San Elizario and told his accompanying friars to put together a Thanksgiving Mass. The following feast consisted of duck (the “duck” in “turducken”), geese , fish, freshly baked pumpkin pie from Costco, and several large orders of fries from a nearby McDonald’s.
Okay . . . I made those last two up. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Now that you’re once again awake, here are pictures of San Elizario today:
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- Billy the Kid Missed Don Juan’s Feast by a Couple of Centuries
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- Love that Beautiful Fence
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- Rustic Doors
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- Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
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- The Bells of Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
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- Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
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- One of Several Local Art Galleries
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- Grain Mill Grind Stone
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- Rustic Fence
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- The Bandido Cantina
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
The Globe — Murder in Luxury
R. Doug Wicker — Author 