Ashley’s Mexican Restaurant and Canning was founded in 1931 by George Ashley. The sole investor in the business was George’s business-minded mother, Ida Ashley. Ashley’s Mexican Restaurant was considered a pioneer in the reinvention of Mexican restaurants in El Paso. The business was family run, with George’s wife and children playing a role. Some of the […]
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Virginia Storm Turner: El Paso Newspaperwoman
Virginia Storm Turner was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, the daughter of Ole Storm and his wife Henrietta. She came to El Paso and graduated from Ysleta High School. Turner attended George Washington College in Washington, D.C., and UTEP. Turner started working as a cub reporter for the El Paso Herald-Post in 1944 and in […]
Patricia Wolfe of Jerry’s Restaurants
Patricia Wolfe Wyatts and her first husband, Jerry Wolfe, came to El Paso in 1948 to work as operators for Sky Chief, operators of restaurants at the El Paso Airport. He was previously stationed at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. They opened the La Ponda Motel on Paisano. They also operated the Covered Wagon […]
Eva Cunningham of Ysleta
Eva Cunningham moved to El Paso in 1907. She grew up with a love of gardening. Her mother gave each of her children a little plot in their yard so they could grow their own garden. Eva married Clifford D. Cunningham. Eva was active in the Lower Valley Garden Club for years. Cunningham taught floral […]
Salazar versus Westfall
In 1979, Mayor Ray Salazar was running for a second term, and many observers believed he would be re-elected without much trouble. Then came retired FBI Agent Tom Westfall. Westfall and his campaign manager, historian Leon Metz, ran a vigorous campaign, with conservatives as their core constituency. Westfall made an issue of the construction of […]
Twin Sisters Taught at Roosevelt Elementary School for 32 Years
Two longtime teachers decided to call it quits in 1976 after 32 years teaching at Roosevelt Elementary. They were identical twin sisters, Mary Etta and Mary Ella Banks. The Bankses were born in Arkansas City, Ark., and came to El Paso at the age of 3 with their father, Rev. F.L. Banks, and their mother. The […]
The El Paso mayor’s race of 1981
In 1980 Mayor Tom Westfall announced his would not run for reelection in 1981. Ray Pearson and Jonathan Rogers emerged as the front runners. Pearson was a democratic party activist, lawyer and had a lot of political influence. Pearson also served as chair of the City Housing Authority and public service commissions. He had a […]
The El Paso Mayor’s Race of 1975
In 1974, Mayor Fred Hervey decided not to run for reelection in 1975 and backed parks and recreation alderman, Don Henderson,who was elected on the Fred Hervey slate of candidates in 1973. Henderson emerged as the front runner . Henderson ran a low key campaign,running on his experience in government and in business. Fiscal Responsibility […]
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Early newspaper clippings
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