From the grand hotels of Marathon, Alpine, Marfa and Van Horn to some of El Paso’s most iconic skyscrapers, the fingerprints of architect Henry C. Trost remain visible across the landscape of Far West Texas more than a century after many of his buildings were completed.
The Texas Mountain Trail Region has brought those landmarks together through the Trost Trail, a self-guided heritage tourism route highlighting some of the most significant works created by the architectural firm Trost & Trost.
For travelers crossing the Big Bend region and the Trans-Pecos, the trail offers something rare: a chance to experience architecture as a road trip, connecting communities through a shared design legacy that helped define the Southwest in the early 20th century.
The architect who shaped the Southwest
Henry C. Trost was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1860 and worked across the country before settling in El Paso in 1903. There he joined his brother Gustavus and later Adolphus to establish the architectural firm Trost & Trost. The firm quickly became one of the most influential architecture practices in the American Southwest.
Trost’s years in Chicago exposed him to the emerging Chicago School of architecture and the work of influential designers such as Louis Sullivan. Those influences can be seen throughout his later projects, where modern engineering techniques met regional architectural traditions.
Over the next several decades, Trost & Trost designed hundreds of buildings across Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and northern Mexico. The firm worked in styles ranging from Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival to Art Deco and Pueblo Revival, while also pioneering the use of steel-reinforced concrete in the Southwest. By the time of Henry Trost’s death in 1933, the firm had designed hundreds of structures and helped shape the skylines of cities throughout the region.
Today, many of Trost’s most beloved works remain active hotels, museums, university buildings and office towers.
Following the Trost Trail
The Texas Mountain Trail’s brochure identifies 10 major destinations that tell the story of Trost’s influence across Far West Texas.
1. Gage Hotel — Marathon
Built in 1927 for rancher Alfred Gage, the yellow-brick hotel became both a ranch headquarters and a destination for travelers crossing West Texas. The hotel remains one of the region’s most recognizable historic properties and reflects Trost’s interpretation of Mission and Spanish-inspired architecture.
2. Horace W. Morelock Academic Building — Alpine
Located on the campus of Sul Ross State University, the building was completed in 1930 as the university library. The structure combines Neoclassical Revival architecture with Art Deco influences and remains one of the most prominent academic buildings in Alpine.
3. Holland Hotel — Alpine
First opened in 1912 and expanded after the death of founder John Holland, the hotel became a centerpiece of Alpine’s civic and commercial life. Its Spanish Colonial Revival styling helped establish a distinctive identity for downtown Alpine.
4. Hotel Paisano — Marfa
Completed in 1930, the Paisano stands among Trost’s most celebrated hotel designs. The Spanish Revival landmark later gained international attention as headquarters for the cast and crew of the 1956 film Giant, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean.
5. Hotel El Capitan — Van Horn
Another 1930 Trost design, the hotel was built as a gateway lodging destination for travelers heading toward Carlsbad Caverns and Big Bend. Its Pueblo-inspired architecture, colorful tilework and interior courtyards remain defining features.
6. Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park — El Paso
Originally constructed as the Hilton Hotel, the building opened in 1930 and became one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The structure blends Art Deco and Pueblo Revival elements and helped establish El Paso’s modern skyline.
7. Hotel Paso del Norte — El Paso
Completed in 1912, the hotel showcased Trost’s ability to merge elegance with engineering innovation. The building’s famous stained-glass dome remains one of the most photographed interiors in West Texas.
8. Anson Mills Building — El Paso
Completed in 1911, the 12-story structure was among the earliest concrete-frame skyscrapers in the United States and briefly held the title of tallest building in El Paso. Trost & Trost maintained offices there after its completion.
9. International Museum of Art (Turney Home) — El Paso
Designed as the residence of state Sen. William Turney and his family, the mansion later became the International Museum of Art. The neoclassical residence is considered the largest home designed by Trost & Trost in El Paso.
10. O.T. Bassett Tower — El Paso
Completed in 1930, the Art Deco tower briefly became the tallest building in El Paso before being surpassed later the same year. The structure remains a defining feature of downtown El Paso’s skyline.
More than buildings
The Trost Trail is ultimately about more than architecture.
It tells the story of how a growing Southwest sought to define itself during a period of rapid change. Railroads were expanding. Ranching communities were becoming towns. Tourism was beginning to emerge as an economic force. Trost’s buildings helped communicate optimism, permanence and civic ambition.
Today, visitors can still sleep in Trost-designed hotels, walk through Trost-designed university halls, dine beneath Trost-designed ceilings and stand beneath skyscrapers that were once considered engineering marvels.
For communities across Far West Texas, those buildings are not simply historic landmarks. They remain living parts of the region’s identity.
As travelers move from Marathon to Alpine, Marfa, Van Horn and El Paso, the Trost Trail offers a reminder that some of the most important stories in West Texas are written not only in history books, but also in brick, concrete, steel and stone.
