Look inside a house on the Houses sunset tour
Residents of Sunset Heights opened their homes to the public on Saturday during the Sunset Tour of Homes.
Rudy Gutierrez / El Paso Times
If you love learning about history through architecture, make plans for the 17th annual Sunset Heights Tour of the Homes.
The tour raises funds for the Sunset Heights Neighborhood Improvement Association to help neighborhood residents with their properties, provide neighborhood activities, and preserve the historic integrity of the neighborhood.
Here’s what you need to know about the tour:
when: The tour will take place from noon on Saturday until 4 pm, 2 October.
what: The tour will feature six locations, one of which is on display for the first time, as well as the Sunset Heights exhibit from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the El Paso Museum of History, 510 North Santa Fe.
The architecture in the area is a mixture of styles from grand homes designed in an American Foursquare to humble brick cottages. Keep in mind that the Sunset Heights area is one of the first planned neighborhoods in the state. Some of the homes on this year’s tour date from the early 1900s and may not be accessible to people with disabilities.
Houses, addresses and their dates according to the association:
Burgess house, 603 W. Yandell Drive: Burges House, the current home of the El Paso County Historical Society, was built in 1912 for R.F. Burges. The house is an American character Forsquare and was built by J.E. Morgan. The additions to the house were designed by Otto Thomann and implemented in 1927.
Burgess was a local attorney and notable civic leader who drafted El Paso’s first city charter, lobbied for the construction of the Elephant Butte Dam, was part of an expedition that led to the establishment of Carlsbad Caves as a national monument, and served in World War I attaining the rank of major. He lived in the house until his death in 1945. His daughter Jane Burgess Perino lived in the house until 1986. It was then bequeathed to the El Paso County Historical Society. Information provided by the El Paso County Historical Society
McGregor home, 1013 W. Yandel Drive; The house was designed and built by Henry Trost for his main residence. It started in 1908 and ended in 1909. Trost lived with his sister Matilda and two other brothers. Henry Trost died in 1933 on the front porch. The rest of the Trost family lived there until 1948, at which time the Grospex bought it. The couple then sold the Grossbecks to Malcom and Bobba McGregor, who moved in in the summer of 1958. The house is still occupied by a McGregor family member.
Kohlberg Residence / Fisher House, 525 Corto Way: The Kohlberg House was built in 1910 for Ernst and Olga Kohlberg. Olga Kohlberg is the woman named after her elementary school Kohlberg. Best known as a women’s rights activist of her time, she is said to have founded the first kindergarten in Texas. Architect Henry Trost designed the house in the Mediterranean Revival architectural style.
Roofing tiles, exterior finishing, exterior doors and windows and cement plaster are original to the house. The landscaping and interior rooms on the first floor have been restored to their original condition since 1910.
He also worked briefly as the house of the Mexican consulate. (Information provided by the El Paso County Historical Society and the Fisher family.)
Torres Home, 600 Prospect Street: Constructed in 1902, it was the original home of the Waddells. Mr. Waddell was a railroad captain; Many of his pencil-pencil notes were found under the original back porch and were donated to the University of Texas in the Rare Books Department of the El Paso Library. The floors of the house are original and made of long yellow pine. The original roof was covered with shingles. The house has one chimney complete with a fireplace and four semi-chimneys connected to the stoves. Charcoal delivered by wagons was used for heating and cooking. The house is now maintained by the Torres family.
Hal Marcus Gallery, 1308 N. Oregon St. , is also on the tour and will receive tickets on the day of the tour and advance. This blue house on Oregon Street between the River and California was probably built in the mid-1950s. It was built as a single family home but now houses a colorful gallery.
What is the price: Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for children 10 or younger. E-tickets are available at Savagegoods.Square.Site; Tickets are also available Saturday at the Burges House.
more: Here’s your updated guide to things to do in the El Paso area in 2021-22
María Cortés González can be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; EPTMaria on Twitter.