School Tours
How the Magoffins Helped to Build El Paso
Grades: Kindergarten through 6th grade
Capacity: 10-75 students
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $1 per person, including chaperones, teachers, and parents
Joseph and Octavia Magoffin shaped modern El Paso and played a major role in making the city a “boomtown” in 1881 by establishing the city, negotiating for a train stop, and providing greater railway expansion. Both Magoffins further supported the people coming to El Paso by establishing a modern municipal government and charitable community services. The Magoffin Home reflects and illustrates their connection to the city and community, and serves as an example of how homes were used to provide a welcoming environment for the entire city and its many visitors.
Texas History Through the Eyes of the Magoffins
Grades: 7th and 8th grade
Capacity: 10-75 students
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $1 per person, including chaperones, teachers, and parents
The Magoffins experienced many different conflicts and changes over the three generations that owned the home. Through the eyes of Joseph and Octavia, students will explore the Civil War and how it affected El Paso, the reconstruction of El Paso after the war, the beginnings of Fort Bliss and its modernization, and the effects of railroads on the city. Teachers may select which topics are emphasized on the tour.
How the Magoffins Connected El Paso to the Rest of the U.S.
Grades: 9th-12th grade
Capacity: 10-75 students
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.|
Cost: $1 per person, including chaperones, teachers, and parents
When the Magoffins helped build the city of El Paso, they focused on its potential to become relevant and vital to the entire country. From negotiating for and providing the first train line to ensuring that Fort Bliss remained a military base that serves to help protect the U. S. border, the Magoffins always saw El Paso as a vital participant in national events. This tour will explore all of the ways that El Paso was developed by the Magoffins to play a part in national history.
Public Tours and Adult Group Tours
Ancestry in Adobe: The Magoffin Family Home
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, groups of 10 or more (must reserve in advance) $4 per person, ages 5 and under free
Three generations of the Magoffin family left their mark in the home and in history. This tour will take you through the historic adobe structure nestled in downtown El Paso, where you’ll learn about how the lives of the Magoffins intersected with the history and heritage of the Southwest borderlands. This tour provides a broad timeline for these generations.
From Rags to Riches: Joseph Magoffin’s Financial Legacy
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
This tour will explore Joseph Magoffin’s rise from being heavily in debt after the Civil War to becoming one of the wealthiest El Pasoans less than two decades later. Using every asset available, the family parlayed that fortune to provide benefits to the family and the city.
Hospitality at Home: How the Magoffin “Welcome” Became Famous
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
Using the history of the reputation of the home and the family, interpreters focus on the stories of the servants to highlight how the Magoffins became renowned for their hospitality. Find out why Jay Gould, the railroad magnate of the late 19th century, insisted on staying in the Magoffin Home.
How Joseph Magoffin Built El Paso
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
Explore what it takes to build a city in Texas from the ground up by following Joseph’s winding journey to build up the city of El Paso around his family. This tour will discuss not only the “how” of the many complex steps in Joseph’s work, but also the “why.”
How Octavia Magoffin Cared for El Paso
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
As a woman in the 19th century and wife of a prominent civic leader, Octavia Magoffin found meaningful ways to serve the El Paso community as a social leader active in Catholic charities. On this tour, visitors will consider her journey through a world where women were limited by societal expectations and celebrate her ingenuity in meeting the needs of El Paso.
How the Magoffin Generations Used Water in the Desert
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
El Paso’s history with water access and usage played a direct role in the lives of the Magoffins. From irrigating orchards to flushing a toilet, each generation of the family responded differently to the availability of water in our Chihuahuan Desert. Learn how each generation used water and adjusted their usage to help conserve this most precious commodity.
How the Magoffins Built Fort Bliss
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
Four generations of the Magoffin family served in the military, and two of those generations had a direct hand in the founding and current location of Fort Bliss. Learn how the generations helped build one of the largest military bases in the United States and how they continued their support of those who served.
What Preservation Looks Like in an Adobe Home
Capacity: up to 15 visitors per guide
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Families $14, adults $7, seniors $6, students $4, ages 5 and under free
Believe it or not, mud homes require a lot of care and maintenance. This tour will explore how the Magoffins and Texas have cared for and made updates to this adobe home since it was built in 1877. This tour allows visitors to step back in time and see what life was like during the frontier days of West Texas, while also considering the changes that have taken place over the past 150 years.
Tour Reservations
Tour reservations should be made at least two weeks in advance by calling 915-533-5147, emailing magoffin-home@thc.texas.gov, or completing this tour request form. School groups are welcome to eat their lunches on the grounds before or after their tour.
If your group is looking for a specialized tour experience, contact the site directly to inquire about customizing your tour.
Accessibility
Magoffin Home is wheelchair accessible.
Facilities
Restrooms are available at the visitor center. Snacks are available for purchase in the visitor center museum store. We also encourage visitors to bring their own food and drinks and enjoy a picnic on our grounds. Food and drinks are not allowed in the historic structures.
Nearby Attractions
Explore the history and architecture of the Magoffin Historic District with this self-guided walking tour (PDF), which begins at Magoffin Home State Historic Site.
For additional travel and history information, see the following resources: