page_title: Kern Place
section_title: The Kern Place Gate
hierarchical_section_title: Kern Place / History / The Kern Place Gate
caption_attribution_description: English: Building the Kern Place Gate, erected in 1916.
context_page_description: Kern Place is a historic neighborhood on the West side of El Paso, Texas. The neighborhood lies just east of the University of Texas at El Paso, and north of downtown. Kern is part of District 1 in the City of El Paso and currently represented by Peter Svarzbein. The neighborhood was created by Peter E. Kern, and once had an unusual gate marking the entrance. Madeline Park in the center of the neighborhood is named after Kern's daughter. Businesses and a small entertainment district border the eclectic housing featured in the neighborhood.
context_section_description: In 1916, Kern constructed a gate that formed an archway to the entrance of the neighborhood at the intersection of North Kansas Street and Robinson. The gate was made of iron and stone and cost $2,500. Kern found decedents of the Toltec and hired them to help build the gate.
  The iron gate contained swastikas, the Kern family crest and 444 electric light globes that illuminated the words "Kern Place" over the center of the gate. It also had a Zondias calendar, totem poles from Alaska, and spelled out "Kern Place." The symbolism of the gatewas meant to express ideas about "the brotherhood of man, light, life, health and wealth," according to the El Paso Herald-Post.
  Kern wanted the gate to remain forever as "a monument and his legacy to the generation here and who will come after them." Pieces of the gate were taken over time by vandals, leaving only the pillars of stone. Eventually, the entire gate was dismantled in 1954 during a street-widening project.
  A new gate has been proposed in 2017 as part of the Sun City Lights Project. The proposed gate is meant to reference the old Kern Place Gate and will be located on Cincinnati Street.
caption: Building the Kern Place Gate, erected in 1916.
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