Don Santiago: Trader, Politico, and Early El Pasoan

Don Santiago: Trader, Politico, and Early El Pasoan

April 23, Doors open at 6:00 PM, Lecture at 6:30 PM

Magoffin Home Visitor Center

Join Magoffin Home educator, Martin Lopez, for an evening dive into the life of James Wiley “Don Santiago” Magoffin, a 19^th-century borderlands merchant, political powerbroker, and cultural connector whose story shaped El Paso long before Texas knew what to do with him. This engaging, media-rich lecture brings his world to life with rare images, maps, and letters from the Magoffin Home archives. Discover how one man’s trade routes, family ties, and frontier diplomacy helped stitch together a region—and left a legacy still felt today. 

This event will take place on April 23, 2026, at the Magoffin Home Visitor Center at 1117 Magoffin Avenue. Light refreshments and beverages will be available as a fundraiser for the Casa Magoffin Compañeros beginning at 6 p.m. The talk will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be in English, but the speaker and staff will be available to answer questions in Spanish.

This event is presented as part of Texas America250, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.