Phelps-Dodge Building - El Paso, Texas

The Phelps-Dodge building in El Paso housed the business office of the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad Company of Texas. It was situated at 511 East Main Street. Founded by the Phelps Dodge Corporation, the company was originally called the Arizona and South Eastern Railroad. Before the railroad was extended to El Paso, to connect it with the Texas-New Mexico border, it was renamed El Paso and Southwestern Railroad Company in 1901. Originally, the firm of Phelps-Dodge had been an import firm, established by William E. Dodge Sr. and Anson Greene Phelps. Together with his cousin Daniel W. James, William E. Dodge Jr. turned the company into one of the largest copper mining corporations, the Phelps Dodge Corporation. In order to transport the cooper, the company also founded the railroad company. The El Paso and Southwestern Railroad Company of Texas merged into the Southern Pacific Company in 1961. The Phelps Dodge Corporation was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc in 2007.

Area: Central / Downtown

Collection: Stansel Postcard Collection

Source: University of Texas at El Paso Library - Special Collections Department

Reference ID: PH049-1-1-029

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History