From 1680 until 1692, El Paso, Texas had the duel function of being the capitol and command post for the exiled Spaniards of New Mexico. The following narrative is excerpted by the writer Maria del Pilar- Muñoz in the spring 2007 issue of La Herencia.
Pueblo Revolt of 1680
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was a time of great change. A shifting river and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in 1848, placed Socorro, Isleta and San Elizario on the Texas side of the border. The revolt left important legacies: The Tigua Indians kept their identity and continue to preserve traditional practices. The blending of other Indian and Spanish cultures related to New Mexico harmonized into a diversified blend of the Mexican culture.
Missions in Mexico
El Paso del Norte, in its propitious location, had already become the trade center of El Camino Real. The establishment on the southern bank of the river began 21 years before the Pueblo Revolt. The mission of San Antonio de San Lorenzo began with 317 Pueblo Indians in 1692. The community continues in Juarez, Mexico. After the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 the Piro Indians also occupied an area that now borders Juarez, Mexico. The Piro Indians settled San Antonio de Senecu. Their mission later moved directly across the river to present-day Mexico.
Missions in Texas
Pueblo de Ysleta, also on El Camino Real is located on the the outskirts of El Paso, Texas. It’s connected to Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico. In fact, the mission changed the spelling to Ysleta to distinguish it from Isleta Pueblo just south of Albuquerque. In 1692 Socorro’s mission became part of El Paso’s Lower Valley. San Elizario was the first mission that Don Juan de Oñate encountered. That settlement continues to celebrate the arrival of Oñate. The first Thanksgiving in this country took place on April 30, 1598. The mass and subsequent feast included the Manso Indians. The event took place 22 years before establishment of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.