Laredo History

One way to grow to love a place is to learn about its past. While you could spend time researching Laredo at the library, another option is to visit the well-organized website of the Webb County Heritage Foundation (WCHF) which contains a treasure trove of historical photos and information. The WCHF also maintains the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum and provides trolley tours of historical places in downtown Laredo. And, don’t forget to talk to the native Laredoans around you; many are happy to share their stories.

Some excerpts from the Laredo Legacies portion of the WCHF website:

“Laredo was founded on May 15, 1755, when Captain Tomás Sánchez, with three families, was granted permission to settle 15 leagues of land near an Indian ford on the Río Grande.”

“During the Civil War, Laredo was a transfer point on the Confederate cotton route to Mexico. On March 18, 1864, Major Alfred Holt led a union army of about 200 men from Brownsville to destroy 5,000 bales of cotton stacked at San Agustín Plaza. Colonel Santos Benavides rose from his sick bed and, with 42 men, repelled three union charges at Zacate Creek. This became known as the Battle of Laredo.”

“Onion Agriculture was practiced on a large scale in 1898 by Thomas C. Nye on irrigated acreage north of the city. The 1917 Souvenir Album of Laredo boasted, "The Laredo area is foremost in the world in the production of Bermuda onions."

“As late as 1922, water was delivered by barrileros (water vendors) to parts of the city.”