Is El Paso Really All That Unique?
El Paso is one of the most unique cities in the United States of America. Even our name is a bit uncommon but, believe it or not, we're not the only EP.
Certain city names are very common and every state seems to have one. One named after the state like Kansas City or Texas City for example. I always thought El Paso was a pretty unique name but, turns out, we're not alone.
El Paso is very, very unique in a hundred different ways. Except in name though, in fact, you won't believe how many El Paso's there are ...
How Many Places Are Named El Paso?
Across the United States of America, there are a total of 5 places or areas named El Paso. When you add 'em up all over the world, the number climbs up into the 30's. 34 to be exact, spread over 12 countries.
In the USA, there are 5 places named El Paso - 4 cities and 1 county. (El Paso, Texas is located in El Paso county so, there are really 2 El Paso counties.) They are:
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How Did El Paso Get It's Name?
We can thank Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate for that. While traveling north in search of new territory, gold and anything else he could claim for Spain; he instantly saw the strategic value of the Borderland.
El Paso was first claimed by Europeans in 1598, by the conquistador Juan de Oñate, who led a party of colonists north from what is now Mexico, bound for the upper Rio Grande. Looking for a place to cross “the roiling, muddy river,” Oñate, Parker explains, found a shallow ford that “linked two worlds: north and south, the rest of the North American continent with Latin America. . . . He gave this place a name: El Paso del Rio del Norte.” - Texas Monthly
The name summed up the sweet geographical location, it being the only pass accessible, (nearly) year round for peeps and goods to get through.
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