Welcome To the Los Portales Museum and Information Center

Located in the Historic town of San Elizario, Texas

Old photograph of Los Portales in a polaroid frame

About Los Portales Museum

The building which houses our historical museum was built around 1850 and is known as “Los Portales” (The Portals). It was once the residence of Capt. Gregorio Nacianceno Garcia, a well-known respectable member of the San Elizario community in the 1835-1898 era.

Capt. Garcia donated the building to the town of San Elceario to be used as a Public School. He hired the first school teacher and organized and became a member of the first school board. Thus, this building housed the first public school in El Paso County and served the town as such until 1936.

Did you know that San Elizario is actually the place where the Second Thanksgiving took place right after the one in St. Augustine, FL? It took place here 30 years before even the Pilgrims set foot into the new land.

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Visit our Genealogy & Historical Society!

We work closely with the San Elizario Genealogy & Historical Society. Learn about the society through their website and become a member!

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