West Central El Paso in El Paso County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Chamizal Settlement

Photographed by Bill Kirchner

1. The Chamizal Settlement Marker

Inscription. A change in the course of the Rio Grande in the 1860s in the vicinity of El Paso - Ciudad Juarez transferred less than one square mile from the south side of the river to the north side, yet it resulted in an international land dispute as tough and thorny as its namesake, the native Chamizo bush. It was the subject of international arbitration in 1911. This 100 year old "Chamizal" dispute was settled by treaty between the United States of America and the United Mexican States signed August 29, 1963, and proclaimed January 16, 1964. The president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson and the president of Mexico, Adolfo Lopez Mateos, met and commemorated the settlement in El Paso on September 25, 1964. The treaty provides for relocation of the channel of the Rio Grande as shown on the map, to effect a net transfer to Mexico of 437.18 acres, which is the area concluded to have been awarded to Mexico by the 1911 arbitration. The relocation also affects a transfer to the United States of 193.16 acres on Cordova Island, formerly an enclave of Mexican territory on the north side of the river channel, in exchange for an equal

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

area downstream from the island. The relocation and appurtenant work will be performed by the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico.

Erected 1965 by the State National Bank of El Paso.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical date for this entry is January 16, 1915.

Location. 31° 46.954′ N, 106° 28.791′ W. Marker is in El Paso, Texas, in El Paso County. It is in West Central El Paso. It is on Scenic Drive, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2208 Scenic Drive, El Paso TX 79902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Trans-Pecos & Big Bend Region.

It is also in the American Borderlands

and in the Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:

Mount Franklin Scenic Overlook image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, November 4, 2010

2. Mount Franklin Scenic Overlook

The Chamizal Settlement Marker is the fourth marker on the left.

Mount Cristo Rey/ The Gadsden Purchase/ El Paso Smelting Works (here, next to this marker); The Rio Grande Irrigation Project (here, next to this marker); The City of El Paso / Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (here, next to this marker); The Franklin Mountains (a few steps from this marker); The Rainmakers of 1891 (a few steps from this marker); Texas Western College/ The Peace Grove (a few steps from this marker); El Paso Lower Valley Missions/ Cordova Island/ The City and County of El Paso (a few steps from this marker); Bien Venido! (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in El Paso.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. The Chamizal National Monument

Wide view of The Chamizal Settlement Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by PaulwC3, July 19, 2013

3. Wide view of The Chamizal Settlement Marker

Chamizal National Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, November 4, 2010

4. Chamizal National Memorial

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,005 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 13, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 3. submitted on September 2, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 4. submitted on November 13, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.