Nonprofit mission
Every booking supports BOTD public history work, oral history collection, and community storytelling in El Paso.
About BOTD
A nonprofit public history organization rooted in the Southwest borderlands.
Builders of the Desert is a nonprofit public history organization that turns downtown El Paso into a walkable archive through guided tours, oral histories, and community storytelling.
Public presence
Every booking helps BOTD turn local history into public experience.
BOTD uses guided tours, oral history collection, and civic storytelling to help visitors and residents meet El Paso's past on the street.
Research-backed routes
Each route is grounded in local sources, architecture, and place-based interpretation.
Clear public booking
Pricing, meeting points, cancellation windows, and accessibility notes are visible before checkout.
Seen in public
People are already meeting BOTD through real El Paso storytelling.
“BOTD isn't just showing you buildings; they're showing you the soul of the desert that most travelers never see.”
Peter Santello / public feature
The feature shows BOTD's street-level approach to history, place, and community before guests join a tour.
01
Mission-Led Public History
Every BOTD route is designed to turn preservation, scholarship, and local memory into something people can experience together on the street.
02
Access and Clarity
Meeting points, accessibility notes, pricing, and policies are visible before booking so visitors know exactly how to join.
03
Oral History and Community Memory
BOTD uses tours to invite stories, archives, and neighborhood memory back into the public record of El Paso.
What support helps build
Tour revenue, partnerships, and community participation deepen the mission.
As BOTD grows, visitor support helps expand research, oral history collection, access planning, and public programming across downtown El Paso.
More public tour dates and guide availability across downtown El Paso
Expanded oral history collection and community archive partnerships
Deeper route notes, photography, and interpretation resources for visitors
More school, youth, and accessible public programming