Alfred Giles used a combination of Renaissance Revival and Romanesque styles to fashion the current Webb County Courthouse, completed in 1909. This National Register Property, initially valued at $60,000, was restored in the late 1990s for $3.275 million.
Webb County, organized in 1848, was christened in honor of James Webb, leader of the Republic of Texas and secretary of state under President Mirabeau B. Lamar. Laredo, once known as Villa de San Agustin de Laredo, was named after an area in Spain located on the Bay of Biscay.
During the Texas Revolution, Laredo served as a logistical support center for Santa Anna’s army. In January 1840, the city was proclaimed capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande. Laredo remained independent until the Mexican War. In 1846, an American flag was raised over the city.
Laredo is well known as a crossing point at the Rio Grande. The first international bridge was a temporary structure built in 1881 upon the arrival of the railroads. In 1889, the Foot and Wagon Bridge was erected at Convent Avenue. The bridge burned in 1920, and another bridge was reopened in 1922. Floodwaters inundated this bridge in 1954, prompting construction of the current bridge.
By 1900, the population of Laredo was 13,500, up from 3,500 in 1880. During World War II, fighter pilots trained at Laredo’s Army Air Field. The field served as the city’s airport following the war, then reactivated in 1952 as Laredo Air Force Base during the Korean War. The base was permanently closed in 1973.
Laredo’s El Azteca is considered one of the oldest residential areas in the city, with lots deeded as early as the 1870s. The neighborhood has gained widespread recognition for its architecture, with more than 140 buildings eligible for the National Register. Laredo is located 150 miles south of San Antonio, and 154 miles north of Monterrey, Mexico. The county seat is served by Interstate 35, U.S. Highway 59, U.S. Highway 83, and Texas Highway 359.
Land ports in Webb County include the following bridges between the United States and Mexico: Juarez-Lincoln Bridge, Gateway to the Americas Bridge, World Trade Bridge, and the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity Bridge. Goods also cross on land through the Laredo International Railroad Bridge, as detailed at https://visitwebbcounty.org/.
Lake Casa Blanca State Park has more than 1,600 acres of lake waters ideal for water sports, fishing, and family fun.
Webb County is among the top white-tail deer-hunting regions in North America. Sportsmen travel from all over the world to Webb County for a hunting experience only possible in the wild brush along the Rio Grande.
As stated on the website referenced above, “Texas begins here! Located on Mile Marker 1 of Interstate Highway 35, this is the edge of the country and the beginning of a visitor experience like no other!”
