By Jacqueline Crea – Multimedia Journalist

EL PASO-The push to preserve the Asarco stacks continues and tonight the El Paso museum is hosting an event to honor the rich history of the old smelter plant.

Local photographers will be showcasing their artistic pieces that feature ASARCO before some of the buildings were dismantled and during the deconstruction of the smelter.

Supporters of preserving ASARCO have just 10 months left to find the money needed. Some have found a way to express their love for the century old smoke stacks by documenting the site before the deconstruction began. Those videos, pictures and even a time capsule will be presented tonight at the El Paso museum. Robert Ardavino, a supporter and member of Save The Stacks, looks forward to the event.

“I’m excited about tonight’s event. I think any history that pertains to ASARCO is good to know. I think people will be surprised how much history it has. 100 years is a long time,” said Ardavino. He grew up in El Paso and wants the stacks to be part of the city’s future.

“The more people understand about it and hear about it the better off we’ll be in terms of keeping the stacks,” said Ardavino.

But not everyone feels the same.

“I have no feeling about ASARCO, I just think it should be torn down. The only thing that would concern me is the environmental repercussion that would have. But if other people want it and maybe there’s an opportunity for maybe having it as a landmark, I’d say go for it then,” said Denielle Martinez.

Tonight’s even is about just that. Seeing ASARCO for it’s history and turning it into a landmark.

“Carol Eastman, Jackson Polk, he is showing some video. He has some interesting footage of actually climbing the stack and carol’s images I think she’s been documenting the destruction of the buildings and the property from that point of view it should be really fascinating,” said Ardavino.

via El Paso Historians and Artists Commemorate ASARCO at El Paso History Museum | KTSM News Channel 9.