A Brief History of Laredo, Texas

Laredo was founded in 1755 by Don Tomas Sanchez, and got its name from Laredo, Cantabria, Spain and in honor of Saint Augustine of Hippo. In 1840, Laredo was the capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande, set up in rebellion to the dictatorship of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force.

Laredo is one of the oldest border crossing points along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the nation's largest inland port of entry. the 250th anniversary of its founding was celebrated in 2005, and some people state that the name Laredo stems from Euskaro and means "beautiful prairies".