Resident Historian
If you visit El Paso and exit the busy I-10 corridor, you’ll see some incredible preservation efforts. You may even run into the man behind many of them — Bernie Sargent, a lanky cowboy with an oversized mustache, distinguished smile and wicked sense of humor. Sargent’s passion for preservation led him to become chairman of the El Paso County Historical Community, where he’s directly involved in historical research of districts, sites, people and events throughout West Texas and the Mexican border state of Chihuahua.
As a child, Sargent was fascinated by the USS Niagara, the 200- foot-tall command ship that led the Lake Erie fleet to victory during the War of 1812. Sargent was born in Pennsylvania, and he and his family often traveled to the shores of the lake to see the historic ship. That old wooden-hulled brig (along with a pair of Gene Autry pajamas given to him by his grandmother) sparked a lifelong passion for history, cowboys and Indians, and preservation.
Bernie Sargent
In 1961, Sargent’s family moved to California for his father’s job. He went on to study business and marketing management at California State University in Fullerton. Not long after, while in San Diego on business, he met Melissa, now his wife of 35 years. After two kids and “too many moves” around the country, Sargent promised his family that they would settle in El Paso until the kids were out of school. Sargent and his wife still reside in the Sun City, 28 years later.
Sargent has worked on many projects over the years, including writing a paper on the Camino Real in El Paso for Sul Ross University. A team of architects and historians compiled a list of over 200 addresses located in the downtown El Paso area to preserve and protect vital historical assets in a portion of the community that greatly needed redevelopment. As a result of these efforts, a list of “carrots and sticks” was created that city officials still use to assist landowners to rehabilitate their properties, using myriad tax credits and assistances available for renovation.
One of Sargent’s favorite projects is Keystone Heritage Park, a 52-acre property in El Paso’s Upper Valley that is home to an archaeological site, archaic wetlands and a botanical garden. The 4,500-year-old archeological site was first discovered in the late 1970s by the Army Corps of Engineers during construction of a flood control dam. Runoff from a thunderstorm washed away the bank of a shallow arroyo, revealing indications of ancient settlements. Preliminary research revealed a hut that was part of a larger village. According to National Geographic, it may be one of the largest and oldest villages of its kind in the southwestern United States.
When the railroad wanted to put a switching yard at the historic site, countless citizens from West Texas and New Mexico rallied to save the park. “In the state of Texas, it’s nearly impossible to convince the railroad to do something,” says Sargent, “so the land sat idle for years. But with the help of two grants, it was eventually purchased and then turned over to the city to develop the park.” Locals developed the “parks within a park” concept behind Keystone and raised more than $6 million. The botanical garden represents a $1.2 million investment in the community, and its beauty is the result of generous donations and volunteers. It features a xeric demonstration garden, a children’s garden, an amphitheater, a moonlight garden, an ethnobotanical garden, several sculptures by artist John Houser and more.
Six Guns and Shady Ladies
Sargent is also one of the cofounders of Six Guns and Shady Ladies, a group of reenactors that perform everything from Wild West gunfight scenes to Victorian life vignettes. Visitors to El Paso’s celebration of National Day of the Cowboy each July are sure to catch Bernie Sargent among the colorfully dressed. He’ll be the one in the mustache and ten-gallon hat, cracking jokes.
BERNIE SARGENT’S RECOGNITIONS
John Ben Shepperd CHC Leadership Award
Texas Historical Commission
Excellence in Community Service
Daughters of the American Revolution
Rebecca Stoddard Award Parade Volunteer of the Year
Sun Bowl Association
Mission Possible Award
5th Annual Mission Possible Conference
Citizen Involvement Award
4th Annual Mission Possible Conference
Volunteer Award
West Point Society of El Paso
Environmental Preservation Award
Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Juarez, Mexico
Real Places Scholarship
Texas Historical Commission
