Early in the 16th century adventurers from Spain pushed their way northward from Veracruz, Mexico, and crossed the Rio Grande in the vicinity of Socorro. Wherever the adventurers planted the Spanish flag, they also planted the cross. In 1665 a mission branch known as San Francisco de los Sumas was established just southeast of the future site of Fabens, one of several missions in this region - several of which remain to this day.

Before the time of the railroad in this part of the country, Fabens was a regular stagecoach stop on the "Old Spanish Trail" and a stagecoach station called San Felipe was in operation about three miles northeast of the town. The railroad line through Fabens was built by a subsidiary of Southern Pacific. The rails were completed through Fabens in 1881. Fabens was given its name in honor of Mr. George Wilson Fabens, assistant land commissioner for the Southern Pacific Lines in Texas and Louisiana. In 1897, Fabens consisted of not much more than a railroad car where the section foreman lived.

Fabens began to grow in 1910. At that time the county road was finished and soon paved as State Highway No. 1. The bridge across the Rio Grande River was built during 1910. With the completion of the Elephant Butte Dam in 1916, farmers had an ample supply of water for their crops so people began flocking to the valley. Houses began to appear where there had been only sand hills and coyotes. Level farms took the place of arroyos and tangled bosque. Property changed ownership, buildings were erected, other improvements were made on borrowed money.

The Catholic Church building has stood since 1907 and before the erection of the first building, masses were said in homes with a Bishop coming from El Paso. There was no Protestant Church for several years after. Ministers of different denominations began preaching in the school house. A Sunday School was organized in which all denominations took part, then early in 1919, through the efforts of Mr. J.C. Hansen, Mrs. Pauline Reid, Mrs. Vivian Boone and others, the First Christian Church was organized, but everyone continued to worship together in the school house. In 1920 it was decided to build a house of worship, so men and women of every denomination donated money, materials, and labor and the building was erected and called the First Christian Church.

After a short time, several Baptist families decided it was time to begin an organized Baptist work and that was accomplished November 25, 1923, when the First Baptist Church of Fabens was organized with 25 charter members. The summer of 1928 saw the completion of the present brick building. The First Methodist Church of Fabens was organized with 13 charter members, and their building was built in 1925.

In the early days of Fabens history the Rio Grande was right at the town's doorstep. There was no bridge across the river at that time, but people forded its banks - many times on horseback. When the river ran high, which was quite often, a flat-bottomed boat was used for crossing. Many a Fabens youth learned to swim in the Rio Grande and/or the Tornillo canal which had its beginning at this headgate. The water was always rather muddy, but it was very cooling. The river was deep in places, swift and treacherous.

During the Mexican Revolution in 1911 the Fourth Cavalry was stationed in Fabens. Tents were pitched to house the soldiers. Their horses were watered at the river. Later a large water trough was built for this purpose. Several Latin-American residents came to Fabens for safety during the fighting in Mexico. They liked the place and stayed. Some always intended to return to Mexico but just never got around to going back. Others came during other revolutions, some as late as 1929, and during the Pancho Villa raids. In 1916 Fabens had an Infantry division from Ohio stationed here to help protect the border from these raids. What is now known as the Pearl Apartments, across from the Junior High School, was built during these years as Army Barracks. In 1917 troops from Georgia and Tennessee were stationed here.

In 1910 Fabens had a few section houses and two stores, and in 1914 the estimated population was 100. The next few years brought to the area as many as 1,000 people fleeing the Mexican Revolution. The townsite was laid out in 1911, but development of Fabens did not begin in earnest until the Fabens Townsite and Improvement Company acquired it in 1915. The completion in 1916 of the Franklin Canal and the rise in cotton prices during World War I attracted a number of wealthy investors to the area. The estimated population rose from fifty in 1925 to 2,000 two years later, despite a major flood in 1925 or 1926. The price of cotton dropped during the Great Depression, and the population fell until the late 1930s, when it began to rise, a trend that continues today.