Fray Garcia Monument - John Sherrill Houser - El Paso, Texas

Fray Garcia Monument - John Sherrill Houser - El Paso, Texas - 1996 The XII Travelers board is grateful to the City of El Paso and to the many gen­erous donors, including the El Paso Community Foundation and the Robert E. and Evelyn McKee Foundation that assisted the creation of the Fray Garcia Monument to enhance the quality of life of our community and to celebrate its rich history. The Fray Garcia Monument, the first statue in the XII Travelers series, was created by sculptor John Sherrill Houser and was dedicated in 1996. Fray Garcia holds the lintel beam for the Guadalupe Mission and beckons to the region's Manso and Suma Indians to join him in building the church, which today is the histori­cal treasure in downtown Cd. Juarez, El Paso's sister city. The beam is inscribed with the name of the mission and the year of its founding, 1659. Spanish and Indian craftsmen carved the ceil­ing beams with floral designs, which are resplendent today. At Fray Garcia's feet is an Indian basket laden with the Mission Grape. He introduced Christianity and European agriculture and livestock to the region. The Guadalupe medallion hangs from his neck, and at his waist are the Franciscan crucifix and rosary. XII TRAVELERS BOARD The XII Travelers nonprofit board assists project promotion and fundraising. The memorial's development represents a successful partnership between the board, city, private sector and philanthropic organizations.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: Jody Polk Schwartz

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History