New exhibit at El Paso Museum of History focuses on city’s relationship with railroad

EL PASO, Texas - A new exhibit at the El Paso Museum of History, "Tracks Across the Desert: More Than 100 Years of Railroad in El Paso," explores the role the railroad played in shaping El Paso’s economy, technology, and society as it transformed the United States. 

“El Paso gets its name because of how it has historically been a pass between the two mountains,” said El Paso Museum of History Director Dr. Vladimir von Tsurikov. “Much of El Paso’s identity comes from our being an intersection of different people, cultures, and ideas. When the railroad boom started, El Paso became an even more important nexus for the United States.”

In addition to displaying local historical artifacts, the exhibit will feature an electric train model, a children’s depot play-area with trains, and a flipbook album highlighting historic photographs.

The exhibit is free and open to the public and runs through June. The El Paso Museum of History is free of charge and open Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, call the museum at (915) 212-0320 or visit http://history.elpasotexas.gov/.

Union Pacific has generously provided support for Tracks Across the Desert.