Timeline of Laredo, Texas facts for kids

Welcome to the exciting history of Laredo, a city in Texas, USA! This article will take you on a journey through time, showing you how Laredo grew from a small settlement to the bustling city it is today.

Laredo's Early Days: 1700s and 1800s

• 1755 - On May 15, Captain Tomás Sánchez and others founded Laredo. It was part of a Spanish area called Nuevo Santander in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (which was like a big Spanish colony).
• 1760 - A small chapel was built in the new settlement.
• 1767 - The San Agustin Church was started.
• 1790 - About 708 people lived in Laredo.
• 1821 - Laredo became part of the new and independent Mexican Empire.
• 1840 - Laredo became the capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande. This was a short-lived country that wanted to be separate from Mexico during a war.
• 1846 - Texas Rangers from the U.S. took control of Laredo during the Mexican–American War.
• 1847 - U.S. soldiers occupied the town.

Becoming Part of the U.S.

• 1848
  • Laredo officially became part of the U.S. This happened because of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican–American War.
  • Webb County, Texas was created around Laredo.
• 1849 - The U.S. military set up Camp Crawford nearby.
• 1852 - Laredo was officially made a city in Texas.
• 1860 - The population grew to 1,256 people.
• 1872 - The San Agustin Church was rebuilt.

Growth and New Connections

• 1880
  • A railway line connecting Laredo to Corpus Christi began operating.
  • The population reached 3,521.
• 1881
  • Another railway line connected Laredo to Mexico.
  • A new neighborhood called St. Peter's began to be developed.
  • A city plan was made for Laredo and its neighbor, Nuevo Laredo, in Mexico.
• 1882
  • The Laredo Seminary (a school) and the city's water system were started.
  • A new County Courthouse was built.
• 1883 - The Daily Laredo Times newspaper started being published.
• 1888 - The Laredo Improvement Company was formed to help the city grow.
• 1889
  • A street railway (like a streetcar) began operating in the city.
  • A bridge for people and wagons was built across the Rio Grande river.
• 1890 - The population jumped to 11,319.
• 1898 - Around this time, onion farming became popular in the area.
• 1900 - The population continued to grow, reaching 13,429.

Laredo in the 1900s

• 1904 - The Laredo Academy, another school, was established.
• 1907 - The Laredo United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House building was constructed.
• 1908 - Natural gas was discovered near Laredo.
• 1909 - A new Webb County Courthouse was built.
• 1910 - The population was 14,855.
• 1911 - The Liga Femenil Mexicanista, a women's group, was founded in Laredo.
• 1915 - The Laredo public library started operating around this time.

Mid-20th Century Developments

• 1920
  • The Texas Mexican Railway International Bridge opened, making trade easier.
  • The population reached 22,710.
• 1922
  • Another International Bridge opened.
  • The Azteca Theater, a movie theater, opened its doors.
• 1937 - The Foundry Workers' Union of Laredo was formed.
• 1938 - KPAB radio began broadcasting.
• 1946 - Fort McIntosh, Texas was closed down.
• 1947 - Laredo Junior College was established, offering higher education.
• 1950 - The population grew significantly to 51,910.
• 1954 - Laredo experienced a flood.
• 1956 - KGNS-TV (television) began broadcasting.
• 1969 - Texas A&M International University was established, providing more college options.

Late 20th Century Growth

• 1970
  • The River Drive Mall opened for business.
  • The population was 69,678.
• 1977 - The Mall del Norte, a larger shopping mall, opened.
• 1978 - Aldo Tatangelo became the mayor of Laredo.
• 1980
  • The Webb County Heritage Foundation was established to preserve local history.
  • The population reached 91,449.
• 1990
  • Saul N. Ramirez, Jr. became mayor.
  • The population grew to 122,899.
• 1993
  • Laredo Community College was active.
  • Cinemark Movies 12, a cinema, opened.
• 1998 - Betty Flores became mayor.
• 2000
  • The Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo was established.
  • The population reached 176,576.

Laredo in the 21st Century

• 2001 - The city's website became available online around this time.
• 2005 - Henry Cuellar became the U.S. representative for Laredo's area in Congress.
• 2006 - Raul G. Salinas became mayor.
• 2007 - Cinemark Mall Del Norte, another cinema, opened.
• 2008 - The Rio Grande Detention Center opened.
• 2010 - The population continued to rise, reaching 236,091.
• 2014 - Pete Saenz became mayor.