Caples Building
Designed by Henry C. Trost for Richard Caples, a former mayor of El Paso, the 1909 commercial building was the first reinforced concrete structure in El Paso. The Caples Building originally was constructed as a five-story, U-shaped building, and in 1915-1916 Trost was commissioned to design two additional stories.
In the early 1910s, Francisco I. Madero used the top floors of the building as the headquarters for his provisional government and frequent occupants consisted of members of the “junto” such as Alberto Fuentes, Braulio Hernandez, and Francisco “Pancho” Villa. The Caples Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the El Paso Historic Register.
The building is in poor condition due to neglect. Most of the glass is missing from the windows and as a result, plywood covers many of the openings. The brick and decorative tile on the facades is loose and, in some sections, is missing. The building is in the center of the El Paso Downtown Redevelopment Plan and raising the building’s profile and educating residents about its historic significance will help in its preservation.
ADDRESS: 300 E San Antonio Ave, El Paso (El Paso County)
DESIGNATION: NRHP, Local Landmark
STATUS: Endangered
OWNER: Private
RESOURCE TYPE: Commercial
YEAR LISTED: 2008
