November 19, 2026 | 7 PM | West Texas Heritage Center, El Paso, TX
Join Preservation Texas on Thursday, November 19th at 7:00 p.m. at the West Texas Heritage Center for the first installment of our BUILDING BLOCKS Speaker Series, which celebrates the people, places, and partnerships that built the El Paso region and shaped our shared architectural environment.
Joseph E. Morgan’s impact on the built environment of El Paso and the Southwest long outlived the 55-year tenure of his general contracting and construction business. During that time he and the teams of craftspeople, laborers, masons, metal workers, and electricians he assembled forged an architectural legacy that still stands tall throughout Texas and beyond. Morgan worked hand-in-hand with Henry Trost and other regional architects to bring their visions from the drafting board to brick and mortar marvels of steel and concrete construction.
Dr. Mark Cioc-Ortega will illuminate attendees on Morgan’s local influence as seen in the construction of the Roberts-Banner Building (1910), El Paso High School (1915), the State National Bank (1922), and many other iconic structures. Explore the stories of other notable projects including work on the University of Texas at Austin campus and the McDonald Observatory. The event is FREE; however registration is encouraged to attend.