Timeline of Laredo, Texas facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Laredo, Texas, USA.

18th-19th centuries

• 1755 - May 15: Villa de Laredo founded by Tomás Sánchez and others in Spanish colonial Nuevo Santander, Viceroyalty of New Spain.
• 1760 - Chapel built.
• 1767 - San Agustin Church founded.
• 1790 - Population: 708.
• 1821 - Laredo becomes part of independent Mexican Empire.
• 1840 - Laredo becomes capital of the Mexican insurgent Republic of the Rio Grande during the Mexican Federalist War.
• 1846 - Laredo taken by U.S. Texas Rangers during the Mexican–American War.
• 1847 - U.S. forces occupy town.
• 1848
  • Laredo becomes part of the U.S. per Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at end of Mexican–American War.
  • Webb County, Texas created.
• 1849 - U.S. military Camp Crawford established.
• 1852 - Laredo "chartered as a Texas city."
• 1860 - Population: 1,256.
• 1872 - San Agustin Church rebuilt.
• 1880
  • Corpus Christi-Laredo railway begins operating.
  • Population: 3,521.
• 1881
  • Mexico-Laredo railway begins operating.
  • St. Peter's neighborhood development begins.
  • City plan for Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, "'Plano de los Dos Laredos' created by E.R. Laroche."
• 1882
  • Laredo Seminary and city water works established.
  • County Courthouse built.
• 1883 - Daily Laredo Times newspaper begins publication.
• 1888 - Laredo Improvement Company formed.
• 1889
  • Street railway begins operating.
  • "Foot and wagon bridge built across the Rio Grande" at Convent Avenue.
• 1890 - Population: 11,319.
• 1898 - Onion farming begins (approximate date).
• 1900 - Population: 13,429.

20th century

• 1904 - Laredo Academy established.
• 1907 - Laredo United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House built.
• 1908 - Discovery of natural gas in vicinity of Laredo.
• 1909 - Webb County Courthouse built.
• 1910 - Population: 14,855.
• 1911 - Liga Femenil Mexicanista (women's group) founded in Laredo.
• 1915 - Laredo public library active (approximate date).
• 1920
  • Texas Mexican Railway International Bridge opened.
  • Population: 22,710.
• 1922
  • International Bridge opens.
  • Azteca Theater opens.
• 1937 - Foundry Workers' Union of Laredo formed.
• 1938 - KPAB radio begins broadcasting.
• 1946 - Fort McIntosh, Texas de-activated.
• 1947 - Laredo Junior College established.
• 1950 - Population: 51,910.
• 1954 - Flood.
• 1956 - KGNS-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• 1969 - Texas A&M International University established.
• 1970
  • River Drive Mall in business.
  • Population: 69,678.
• 1977 - Mall del Norte in business.
• 1978 - Aldo Tatangelo becomes mayor.
• 1980
  • Webb County Heritage Foundation established.
  • Population: 91,449.
• 1990
  • Saul N. Ramirez, Jr. becomes mayor.
  • Population: 122,899.
• 1993
  • Laredo Community College active.
  • Cinemark Movies 12 (cinema) in business.
• 1998 - Betty Flores becomes mayor.
• 2000
  • Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo established.
  • Population: 176,576.

21st century

• 2001 - City website online (approximate date).
• 2005 - Henry Cuellar becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 28th congressional district.
• 2006 - Raul G. Salinas becomes mayor.
• 2007 - Cinemark Mall Del Norte (cinema) in business.
• 2008 - Rio Grande Detention Center opens, housing up to 1900 federal prisoners for the U.S. government
• 2010 - Population: 236,091.
• 2014 - Pete Saenz becomes mayor.