Stories help us connect with the past in personal and compelling ways. The Magoffin Home State Historic Site is filled with real stories to tell. If these thick adobe walls could talk, they would reveal much about the Magoffins, but also the relationships they had with family, friends and their community.
Daily Life
The way the Magoffin family members lived –– individually and as a unit –– portrays values and experiences common to people throughout history. From daily activities to annual celebrations, the stories give us insight into the past but also how we live our lives today. Joseph Magoffin, writing to his sister in Magoffinsville, told the tale of a brush with death in 1860:
"I was standing in front of Ben Dowell’s billiard saloon awaiting the arrival of the mail together with four or five Officers from this place and Fellmans. We saw the mail coming in at a rapid pace and remarked that was pretty tall driving. In coming up in front of the post office the driver stuck his horses and made them dash around an adobe wall next to the sidewalk where we were all standing around a buggy of General Jones that was there. Everybody ran for their lives and I that was standing between the buggy wheels had to jump inside of the buggy to have a chance for my life as there was no other chance of escape. The buggy was turned over and broke to pieces, the whole of it and I remained under it after the coach had passed twice over it, breaking the hind wheels, the shafts and the body of the buggy all to pieces. Everybody thought I was seriously hurt but fortunately escaped with but a few bruises and a good scare…"
Community Influence
The Magoffins were active participants in the community and were instrumental in significant changes in El Paso during their respective lifetimes. Joseph Magoffin served as mayor of El Paso four times and held many other public offices. He played a vital role in bringing the railroads to El Paso, an event that changed the course of its history. Octavia Magoffin was active in Catholic charities. The Magoffin Home became a social center in the community where they often entertained guests. In 1883, a newspaper described a social occasion at the home:
"The ancient and spacious mansion was thrown wide to guests, who felt at ease the moment they passed beyond the charmed threshold. The wide, roomy hallway was converted into a dancing saloon, and the doors at either end were thrown wide, admitting the breezes and making the floor cool as though it were laid in open air. Music was furnished by the popular Mexican String Band…"
A Multicultural Family
The lives of the Magoffins reflect the experiences of a multicultural family and community. They combined different cultural backgrounds effectively and their personal experiences are representative of the diversity of this borderland community where they lived and worked. The stories of the people who worked at the Magoffin Home also encompass various ethnic communities. Our research is just beginning to help us understand the richness of these tales.
Historic Events
The Magoffins were witnesses to important historic events both locally and nationally. They were touched by the military conflicts that swirled around El Paso during their lifetimes including the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, the Mexican Revolution and both World Wars as well as key historic events like western settlement, trade and business, the establishment of city government and the arrival of the railroads. Through their experiences, we can understand these events in a more personal way. The following letter was written by Joseph Magoffin to his wife during the Civil War in 1864:
"How very sad and lonely I feel now- My dear brothers voice I hear no more- Nor is his manly form ever to return. Were it not for your dear sake I would be very unhappy and heaven only knows what would be my lot. I feel though that I am still loved and cherished- and that my heart has been given in return that for your sake and yours only I live…"
Design & Décor
People tell stories but objects speak loudly as well. This is evident in the Magoffin Home as the architecture, design and décor transports visitors back into time. The home and its furnishings provide authentic examples of different architectural styles and changes and innovation in home design, decoration and modern conveniences. Likewise, the neighborhood around the Magoffin Home offers opportunities to see the evolution of a community.
Last updated: 11/10/2009 6:22:43 PM