Laredo, the Webb County’s county seat, is situated on Rio Grande’s north bank within South Texas, all over Mexico’s Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. Laredo is one-half of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Conurbation with an estimated 636,516. The economy of Laredo is according to its intercontinental business with Mexico. The majority of huge transport corporations have an office in Laredo. The location of Laredo all over the southern part of I-35 near the North Mexican manufacturers advertises its major part in American-Mexican trade.
The city has the merit of flying 7 flags (the 6 Texas flags and the Republic of the Rio Grande’s flag). Established in 1755, the city developed to become the Republic of the Rio Grande’s capital and the major national port on the borders between Mexico and the US. These days, Laredo has 4 worldwide bridges and a railway bridge. The weather of Laredo is semi-arid throughout the summer season and mild throughout the winter season.
The Laredo International Airport is surrounded by its city boundaries, whilst the Quetzalcoatl International Airport is close to Mexico’s Nuevo Laredo. Laredo has two sports teams: namely the Laredo Heat soccer team and the Laredo Bucks ice hockey team. The Laredo Community College and Texas A&M International University is within Laredo. The major festival, Washington’s Birthday Celebration (WBCA) is held throughout the entire month of February, drawing a lot of vacationers. The Mr. South Texas Luncheon, Princess Pocahontas Pageant, Stockmen’s Ball, Jalapeño Festival and two biggest parades are held together with the events of WBCA.
Villa de San Agustin de Laredo was established by Don Tomas Sanchez in 1755 while the region was still included in the area of Nuevo Santander in New Spain’s Spanish colony. Its name stem from Laredo, Cantabria in Spain and St. Augustine of Hippo’s tribute. During the 1840s, Laredo was the Republic of the Rio Grande’s capital, established against Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and returned by the military force in Mexico. In 1846, throughout the war between the United States and Mexico, the Texas Rangers occupied Laredo. Once the war ended, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo abandoned the area to the US. A specific referendum was acquired by the town, in which it was chosen to appeal the American military administration responsible of the land to bring it back to Mexico. However, the appeal was declined, and the majority of its population went beyond the river to the territory of Mexico to establish Nuevo Laredo. During 1849, the government’s military established Fort McIntosh (formerly Camp Crawford). It was re-established in 1852 as a city. It is a home of the Streets of Laredo, a 19th century cowboy ballad.
Laredo is among the older boundary crossing points all over the border of Mexico and the United States, and the biggest domestic port of the country. In 2005, the city commemorated its 250th founding year.
Laredo’s original Spanish name is uncertain. Several scholars claim that the name came from “Glaretum” meaning “rocky, sandy place”, while other scholars say that it came from “Basque”, which means “beautiful pastures”.