ASARCO Smoke Stack Demolition

Today was a very sad day for me as two of El Paso's landmarks were demolished. They were two smoke stacks at what once was the ASARCO copper smelter plant.  The plant closed for good in 2009.  It had been trying to reopen but environmentalist group kept them from getting their permit.  It would have created about 500 well paying jobs. I don't want to debate the pros and cons here but the plant was here first and it helped make this city. Four generations of my family worked there including my grandfather, uncle, cousin and his son. There is another copper plant in the city that is still in operation as well as an oil plant both around the corner from my parent's home.  There are hazardous/environmentally unfriendly jobs everywhere.

There was a town on the plant site that my mom lived in with her family when my grandfather worked there. My mom was born in that town called Smeltertown. She used to talk about it all the time. She said there was a smoke stack (not the ones that  came down) that used to give great shade during the summer. She would talk about walking down the mountain to the company store. They were moved off the plant site to make room for I-10 freeway.  That is what I remember my mom telling me.

I think what makes it worse for me is that I know my mom would be so upset if she knew they stacks had come down.  They made El Paso for her as for many people. It made me miss my mom the way she was before this awful disease. I miss talking, cooking and shopping with her.

Too much emotion to keep inside. I cried all morning.  I didn't want to link any pictures but if you are interested, can go to the El Paso Times website for pictures.