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Laredo, Texas

"The Gateway City"
America's largest inland port and the most Hispanic major city in the country, Laredo has been a crossroads of nations for 270 years — where Texas, Mexico, and two cultures become one.
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Founded 1755 | Population 264,142 | Peak 264,142 (2024) | County Webb County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Laredo, Texas

1
1994NAFTA Transforms Laredo: The North American Free Trade Agreement supercharged cross-border commerce, making Laredo the busiest inland port in the Western Hemisphere with over $200 billion in annual trade.
2
1755Spanish Colonial Founding: Captain Tomás Sánchez founded Villa de San Agustín de Laredo on the north bank of the Rio Grande, establishing one of the oldest settlements in Texas.
3
1846Mexican-American War: The war placed Laredo firmly within the United States, though the city's cultural and family ties to Mexico remained unbroken across the new international border.
4
1881International Bridge Opens: The first international bridge connected Laredo to Nuevo Laredo, formalizing cross-border trade and travel that had existed for over a century.
5
1840Republic of the Rio Grande: Laredo briefly served as capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande, a short-lived secessionist state that attempted to break away from Mexico's centralist government.
6
1898Washington's Birthday Celebration: Laredo began its annual Washington's Birthday Celebration, which grew into the largest such celebration in the country — a uniquely bicultural patriotic festival.
7
2000Trucking Capital: Over 4 million commercial trucks crossed through Laredo annually, making it the single busiest commercial land port in the United States.
8
1920Oil Discovery in Webb County: Oil was discovered in Webb County, diversifying the economy beyond ranching and trade and bringing new wealth to the border city.
9
1970Texas A&M International University: TAMIU was established to serve the predominantly Hispanic population of South Texas, growing into an important regional university.
10
2020COVID-19 Border Closure Impact: The pandemic closure of the U.S.-Mexico border devastated Laredo's economy, which depends on cross-border trade and movement.
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Population Over Time

0 66,036 132,071 198,107 264,142 1850 1870 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Laredo

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Complete Historical Timeline

1755 Government
Tomás Sánchez founds Laredo on the Rio Grande
1840 Government
Laredo briefly capital of Republic of the Rio Grande
1846 Government
Mexican-American War places Laredo in U.S.
1881 Transport
First International Bridge opens to Nuevo Laredo
1898 Culture
Washington's Birthday Celebration begins
1920 Industry
Oil discovered in Webb County
1970 Culture
Texas A&M International University established
1994 Business
NAFTA makes Laredo busiest inland port
2000 Business
4 million trucks cross annually
2020 Disaster
Border closure devastates economy
2024 Government
Population surpasses 264,000

Did You Know?

1
Laredo is the largest inland port in the United States, with over $200 billion in international trade crossing its bridges annually — more than any other land port.
2
Over 95% of Laredo's population identifies as Hispanic, making it the most Latino major city in the entire United States.
3
Laredo's Washington's Birthday Celebration is the largest such event in the country, featuring a month-long binational festival that is uniquely Texan and Mexican at the same time.
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