Laredo, Texas.html |
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| City of Laredo | |||
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| Nickname(s): "The Gateway City" & "The City Under Seven Flags" | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
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| State | Texas | ||
| County | Webb | ||
| Metropolitan Area | Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area | ||
| Settled | 1755 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Mayor / City Manager | ||
| - Mayor | Raul G. Salinas | ||
| - City Manager | Carlos R. Villarreal | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 84.54 sq mi (218.96 km²) | ||
| - Land | 83.44 sq mi (216.11 km²) | ||
| - Water | 1.1 sq mi (2.8489 km²) 1.3011% | ||
| - Metro | 161.76 sq mi (418.96 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 438 ft (137.2 m) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - City | 217,506 | ||
| - Density | 2,469.20/sq mi (960.36/km²) | ||
| - Metro | 718,073 | ||
| - Metro Density | 4,943.92/sq mi (1,908.86/km²) | ||
| metro area includes Laredo, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Rio Bravo, Texas, El Cenizo, Texas, Laredo Ranchettes, Texas. Larga Vista, Texas, Ranchos Penitas West, Texas & La Presa, Texas | |||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CST (UTC-5) | ||
| Zip Code | Laredo: 78040, 78041, 78042, 78043, 78044, 78045, 78046, & 78049 Nuevo Laredo: 88000 |
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| Area code(s) | Laredo: +1-956 Nuevo Laredo: +52-876 |
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| FIPS code | 48-414641 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 13396332 | ||
| Laredo Airport: | Laredo International Airport KLRD LRD | ||
| Nuevo Laredo Airport: | Quetzalcoatl International Airport MMNL NLD | ||
| Website: City of Laredo | |||
Laredo (pronounced /ləˈreɪdoʊ/ "luh-RAID-o" in English, [laˈɾeðo] in Spanish) is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande (Río Bravo) in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2007 census estimate, the city population was 217,506.3 Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area with an estimate population of 718,073.4 Laredo's economy is based on international trade with Mexico. It is the largest inland port in the United States. Most major transportation companies have a facility in Laredo. Laredo's location along the southern end of I-35 close to the manufacturers in North Mexico promotes its vital role in trade between the United States and Mexico.
Laredo has the distinction of having seven flags flown over the city. Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a villa to the capital of the brief Republic of the Rio Grande to the largest inland port on the United States-Mexican Border. Today, it has four international bridges and one railway bridge. Laredo's weather is semi-arid during the summer and mild during the winter.
Laredo International Airport is within the Laredo city limits, while the Quetzalcoatl International Airport is nearby in Nuevo Laredo in Mexico. The city has three professional sports teams: the Bucks, Broncos, and Heat. Texas A&M International University and Laredo Community College call Laredo home. The biggest festival, Washington's Birthday Celebration is during February all month long, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists.
History
Villa de San Agustin de Laredo was founded in 1755 by Don Tomás Sánchez while the area was part of the Nuevo Santander region in the Spanish colony of New Spain. Villa de San Agustin de Laredo 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 opposition Antonio López de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War the town was occupied by the Texas Rangers. After the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded the land to the United States. A referendum was taken in the town, which voted to petition the American military government in charge of the area to return the town to Mexico. This petition was rejected, and the bulk of the population moved over the river into Mexican territory to found Nuevo Laredo. In 1849, the military set up Fort McIntosh (originally Camp Crawford). Laredo was rechartered as a city in 1852.
Laredo is one of the oldest border crossing points along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the nation's largest inland port of entry. In 2005, Laredo celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding. The origin of name of Laredo is unclear. Some scholars say the name stems from Glaretum which means "sandy, rocky place" others state that Laredo stems from Euskaro and means "beautiful prairies".56 Laredo might also stem from Laridae which means gull or it might be made up of two Latin words lar which means home and edo which means birth.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 79.6 square miles (206.0 km²), of which, 78.5 square miles (203.2 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (1.37%) is water.
Laredo is located on the west end of the Rio Grande Plains is south of the Edwards Plateau, Coastal Plains to the east, and Mexican Mountains to the west. The area consists of a few hills and flat land covered brush: grass lands, oak, and mesquite. The annual Cola Blanca Contest brings hunters from across the United States and Mexico. A notable geographic feature is Lake Casa Blanca in Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. The lake is 371 acres (1.5 km2) of land and 1,650 acres (7 km2).
Climate
Laredo's weather is affected by the Mexican mountains to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the east and the deserts of Northern Mexico; any moisture from the Pacific is cut-off by the Mexican mountain range. Its geographic location causes Laredo's weather to range from long periods of heat to sudden violent storms and tornadoes in a short period of time. Laredo is cold for south Texas standards during winter, the average daytime highs are around 66 °F (19 C) and overnight lows around 43 °F (6 C); although it is rare for snow to fall in Laredo, there was actually snow on the ground for a few hours on the morning of Christmas Day 2004.
Laredo experiences an average high temperature of about 99 °F (37 C), and an average low of about 75 °F (24 C) during summer, and 20 inches (510 mm) of rain per year. As Laredo sometimes undergoes drought, a water conservation ordinance was implemented in 2003.
 Weather averages for Laredo, Texas  |
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 92 (33) |
94 (34) |
99 (37) |
108 (42) |
112 (44) |
112 (44) |
111 (44) |
112 (44) |
109 (43) |
101 (38) |
99 (37) |
93 (34) |
104 (40) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
93 (34) |
86 (30) |
76 (25) |
68 (20) |
84 (29) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 43 (6) |
47 (8) |
55 (13) |
63 (17) |
69 (21) |
73 (23) |
75 (24) |
75 (24) |
74 (22) |
63 (17) |
53 (12) |
45 (7) |
61 (16) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 26 (-3) |
29 (-2) |
33 (1) |
38 (3) |
54 (12) |
66 (19) |
68 (20) |
64 (18) |
56 (13) |
42 (6) |
33 (1) |
15 (-9) |
43.6 (7) |
| Precipitation inches (cm) | 1.0 (2.5) |
1.1 (2.7) |
0.8 (1.9) |
1.8 (4.5) |
2.6 (6.6) |
3.2 (8.1) |
1.5 (3.8) |
2.7 (6.8) |
3.1 (7.9) |
2.5 (6.4) |
1.2 (2.9) |
0.9 (2.4) |
22.2 (56.5) |
| Source: worldclimate.com7 May 2007 | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 708 |
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| 1820 | 1,430 |
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| 1830 | 2,052 | 43.5% | |
| 1870 | 2,049 |
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| 1880 | 3,521 | 71.8% | |
| 1890 | 11,319 | 221.5% | |
| 1900 | 13,429 | 18.6% | |
| 1910 | 14,855 | 10.6% | |
| 1920 | 22,710 | 52.9% | |
| 1930 | 32,618 | 43.6% | |
| 1940 | 39,274 | 20.4% | |
| 1950 | 51,910 | 32.2% | |
| 1960 | 60,678 | 16.9% | |
| 1970 | 69,678 | 14.8% | |
| 1980 | 91,449 | 31.2% | |
| 1990 | 122,899 | 34.4% | |
| 2000 | 176,576 | 43.7% | |
| Est. 2007 | 217,506 | 23.2% | |
Laredo places 88th in the top 100 cities in population in the United States. According to the census1 estimate of 2006,89 there were 231,470 people. In the 2005 estimate there were 99,675 males and 108,112 females living in 60,816 households, out of those 33,832 were owner occupied. The average household size has 3.69 occupants. The population density was 2,250.5 people per square mile (868.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 179,887 or 86.6% White, 1,012 or 0.5% African American, 599 or 0.3% Native American, 779 or 0.4% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 23,932 or 11.5% from other races, and 1,578 or 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino accounts for 197,198 or 94.9% of the population in terms of ethnicity.
There were a total of 60,816 households out of which 56,247 or 92.5% were occupied, 33,832 were owner occupied units and 22,415 were renter occupied units. 62.0% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.18
The city's population is 35.5% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,019, and the median income for a family was $32,577. The per capita income for the city was $12,269. 29.2% of families were below the poverty line.
According to the United States Census Bureau, at a 2000 census, Laredo was the second fastest growing city in the United States, (Las Vegas, Nevada, having been first).
Government
Laredo's municipal government is controlled by a strong city council-weak mayor system. The mayor presides over the city council, but he/she may only vote to break a tie. City Council elections are based on single-member districts and campaigns have no party affiliations. Nominally nonpartisan municipal elections are held in May of even-numbered years. The municipal government is administered by the city manager hired by the city council. All city elected offices have a four-year term and are nonpartisan though most officials have a party preference or affiliation. City council meetings are held on Mondays and can be viewed on the public access channel.
City Mayor -- Raul G. Salinas, Democrat, elected 2006 to succeed Betty Flores
City Manager - Carlos Villareal
City Council:
District 1 - Joseph Michael Garza
District 2 - Hector "Tito" Garcia
District 3 - Dr. Michael Landeck
District 4 - Juan Narvaez Jr
District 5 - Juan Jose "Johnny" Rendon
District 6 - Gene Belmares
District 7 - Jose Valdez, Jr.
District 8 - Cindy Liendo Espinoza
State and federal representatives
- Texas House of Representatives -
- District 31 - Ryan Guillen, Democrat
- District 42 - Richard Peña Raymond, Democrat
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- Texas Senate -
- District 21 - Judith Zaffirini, Democrat
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- United States House of Representatives -
- District 28 - Henry Cuellar, Democrat
Education
Elementary and secondary
Laredo is served by two school districts: the Laredo Independent School District and the United Independent School District and eight private schools.
The Laredo Independent School District10 (LISD) serves the areas in central Laredo. The LISD high schools are Cigarroa High School, Martin High School, J. W. Nixon High School and the Laredo Early College High School. LISD also contains three school|magnet schools: Dr. Dennis D. Cantu Health Science Magnet School, LISD Magnet for Engineering and Technology Education, and Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts.
The United Independent School District11 serves the rest of Laredo and northern Webb County. The UISD high schools are John B. Alexander High School, Lyndon B. Johnson High School, United High School, United South High School. UISD has three magnet schools: John B. Alexander Health Science Magnet, United Engineering Magnet, and the United South Business Magnet. There are thirty-nine schools within UISD and more are under construction and/or in the development stage. United ISD is one of the fastest growing districts in the state, serving almost forty thousand students and covering an area the physical size of Rhode Island.
The city is also served by eight private schools:
- Saint Augustine High School, Catholic school, 9th-12th12
- Laredo Christian Academy, Assemblies of God, Grades PK-12th
- United Day School, nonpartisan, PK-8th
- Mary Help of Christians School, Catholic school, PK-8th
- Blessed Sacrament School, Catholic school, PK-7th
- Our Lady of Guadalupe School, Catholic school, PK-6th
- St. Peter Memorial School, Catholic school, PK-6th
- Saint Augustine School, Catholic school, now elementary and middle, PK-8th, established 1928, enrollment 485 (2008)
Colleges and universities
Laredo is home to Laredo Community College13 and Texas A&M International University14 (TAMIU). The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio15 has a campus in Laredo.
The Laredo Community College is a two-campus institution which offers two-year Associates Degrees. The main campus is located in west Laredo near the Rio Grande. The smaller but newer second campus, Laredo Community College South Campus, is located in south Laredo along United States Highway 83. The main campus is located at the western end of downtown Laredo on the land formerly known as Fort McIntosh. This fort played a major role in the development of Laredo as it served to protect Laredo's border from Indian raids in its early history. Several of the fort's old buildings were converted into classrooms.
The Texas A&M International University is a 4/6 year university that offers Bachelors and Master's Degrees. On April 22, 2004,[1], the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Austin provided its approval for Texas A&M International University to grant its first Ph.D. in International Business Administration[2] [3]. TAMIU’s College of Business Administration has been named an outstanding business school in "The Princeton Review’s" “Best 282 Business Schools,” 2007 Edition, and ranked third in the nation for the category: “Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students[4].” The university's campus is located in Northeast Laredo along Loop 20. The university was once an extension of Texas A&I-Kingsville and later changed to Laredo State University. Prior to its current location along Loop 20, the university was housed on Laredo Community College's downtown campus grounds.
The University of Texas Health Science Center campus is located in East Laredo near U.S. Highway 59 and the Laredo Medical Center. The campus is an extension university from UTHSC in San Antonio, Texas. The university offers Doctoral Degrees in the medical and dental fields.
Economy
Laredo has four South Texas banking institutions Falcon International Bank, International Bank of Commerce, Laredo National Bank, and Texas Community Bank. As a result of Laredo's location in North America, Interstate Highway 35 / Mexican Federal Highway 85, the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), dozens of twin assembly plants, and dozens of import export agencies to expedite trade, Laredo is the largest inland port in the United States and Nuevo Laredo the largest in Latin America. Laredo is a shopping destination for Mexican shoppers from Northern Mexico.
Trade
More than 47% of United States international trade headed for Mexico and more than 36% of Mexican international trade crosses through the Laredo port of entry.1617 Laredo's economy and lifestyle revolves around commercial and industrial warehousing, import, and export. As a major player of international trade, Laredo benefited from the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The city's Laredo International Airport has non-stop flights to Houston, Dallas, and Las Vegas. The Laredo port of entry consists of five international bridges crossing the Rio Grande into the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon.
Retail sales
Retail sales attracts shoppers from Northern Mexico and South Texas.18 There are 2 indoor shopping malls located in the area and dozens of shopping centers. The Streets of Laredo Urban Mall is an association created by businesses on Iturbide Street in the San Agustin historical district to beautify and renovate the area.19 By 2009 Laredo will have an additional 2 malls which are currently under construction:
- Mall Del Norte 1,198,199 sq ft (111,316.3 m2)
- El Portal Mall 380,000 sq ft (35,000 m2)
- Laredo Town Center Mall 580,577 ft² (to open in 2009)20
- Piazza del Sol Mall 1,200,000 ft² (to open in 2009)21
- Laredo Factory Outlet Center 452,000 ft² (to open in 2010)22 in Botines, Texas
- Streets of Laredo Urban Mall
Labor market information
As of October 2007, Laredo's labor market was in the following industries by percentage of number employed: Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (32%), Information (1%), Financial Activity (5%), Professional and Business Services (6%), Education and Health Services (15%), Leisure and Hospitality (10%), Government (23%), Mining and Construction (5%), Manufacturing (2%), and Other Services (2%).
Laredo has increased the number of non-agricultural jobs from 55,100 in January 1996 to 86,600 in October 2007. Laredo has experienced a higher job growth rate (2%-6.5%) than the state as a whole because of expanded international trade through the North American Free Trade Agreement. In 2007, Laredo experienced a job growth rate of 2.5%. As of October 2007, the Laredo unemployment rate was 4.1% or 3,700 unemployed persons as compared to 3.9% in Texas statewide. This is a significant drop since the mid-1990s when Laredo's unemployment was over 15%.
Laredo has had positive job market growth since the mid-1990s, setbacks in the Mining (oil/gas) industry shifted a few thousand workers to other industries such as international trade and construction. Many large employers in the oil and gas industries shut down operations in Laredo and across Texas and shifted to foreign countries. The same effect occurred in the garment industry (Levis and Haggar) along the Texas border area, but Laredo experienced the closing of the one and only garment-producing company (Barry) of about 300 workers. Laredo's strong job growth rate in retail and transportation services limited the adverse effects of long-term unemployment in the few massive layoffs of the late 1990s. Laredo's vulnerability continue to exist in international trade due to unforeseen changes to Mexico's economy, immigration laws (along with daily border crossings: shoppers and commercial trade) and terrorism as the result of September 11th.23
People and culture
Annual festivals
The Washington's Birthday Celebration (WBCA)24 is a month long event that celebrates George Washington's Birthday. It was founded in 1898 by the Improved Order of the Red Men, local chapter Yaqui Tribe #59. It is the largest celebration of its kind in the United States with 400,000 attendees annually. The first celebration was a success and its popularity grew rapidly and in 1923 it received its state charter. In 1924, the Celebration featured its first Colonial Pageant, which featured thirteen young girls from Laredo, representing the thirteen original colonies. The celebration includes parades, a carnival, an air show, fireworks, live concerts, and a city-wide prom during which many of Laredo's elite dress in very formal attire. The related Jalapeño Festival is one of the United States' top 10 eating festivals.
Jamboozie is held in late January in downtown Laredo as part of the Washington Birthday Celebrations. Similar to New Orleans' Mardi Gras, the Jamboozie is a colorful event, with many people dressed in beads, masks, and flamboyant outfits.
Recreational
Lake Casa Blanca
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park,25 located on Loop 20, contains a 1,680-acre (7 km2) artificial lake along with cooking out, camping, picnicking, lake swimming, skiing, boating, and mountain biking. The most popular recreational use of the lake is fishing. A boat ramp and fishing pier is available on the eastern side of the lake.The lake is a popular destination for winter Texans. The park was operated by the City of Laredo and Webb County before it was acquired by the state in 1990 and opened in March 1991.
Golf
Laredo has two 18-hole golf courses; the Laredo Country Club26 and the Casa Blanca Golf Course.27 The Laredo Country Club is an 18-hole private course that features 7,125 yards (6,515 m) of golf. The golf course has a rating of 74.6, a slope rating of 133, and has a par of 72. The country club was designed by Joseph S. Finger and was opened in 1983.28 The Casa Blanca Golf Course is an 18-hole course that features 6,590 yards (6,030 m) of golf. The golf course has a rating of 72.5, a slope rating of 125, and has a par of 72. The golf course was designed by Leon Howard and was opened in 1967.29 There is also an 18-hole country club across the border in Nuevo Laredo. The Club Campestre Riviera del Bravo in Nuevo Laredo is an 18-hole that features 6,325 yards (5,784 m) of golf. The golf course has a rating of 71.1 and has a par of 72.30
Parks, recreational centers, plazas, and baseball fields
The City of Laredo owns 8 recreational centers, 34 developed parks, 22 undeveloped parks or under construction, 5 baseball fields, and 4 plazas. The parks total area is 618 acres (2.50 km2).31
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Recreational centers
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Baseball parks
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Plazas
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Developed parks
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Undeveloped parks
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David B. Barkley Plaza
A memorial honoring the 41 Hispanic soldiers who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor was built in Laredo, Texas in 2002. The plaza was named after the only Laredo Congressional Medal of Honor recipient David B. Barkley. The David B. Barkley Plaza has a bronze statue of David B. Barkley and an American flag measuring 100ft by 50ft and is 308ft tall making if one of the tallest flagpoles in the United States.3233 The memorial is located at (27.5062017, -99.5023316).34
Museums
Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol Building Museum35 is located in the downtown historical district next to the historical La Posada Hotel. It was once the Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol building now showcases memorabilia from the short lived Republic of the Rio Grande. It displays pictures, books, and furniture from the 19th century Laredo area. It offers guided tours for school age children and adults year-round. Because of this Republic, Laredo had flown seven flags instead of the traditional Six Flags over Texas.
The Laredo Center for the Arts36 is located in downtown Laredo. The building houses three galleries: the Goodman Gallery, the Laredo Art League Gallery and the Lilia G. Martinez Gallery. The Center for the Arts, located in the former City Hall offices known as the Mercado, displays regional artwork and provides community events for children and adults. The Laredo Little Theater provides Laredoans with live stage performances. The theater also hosts comedians.
Imaginarium of South Texas37 (formerly Laredo Children's Museum), located in Mall del Norte, provides a hands-on experience with science, technology, and art for Laredo's youth. A second museum is planned on the Texas A&M International University campus.38
The Nuevo Santander Museum Complex comprises restored buildings of Fort McIntosh, a historical collection of photographs of the fort, the main Guardhouse, which contains World War I (1914-1918) memorabilia, and a science and technology museum.
Planetarium
The Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center Planetarium39 is located on the Texas A&M International University Laredo campus. The Planetarium surrounds audiences in a dome with an accurate image of the night sky showing all the motions and cycles of the Sun, Moon, planets, and constellations in the sky creating a multi-media experience in revealing the wonders of the cosmos. The Planetarium introduces to you to a life-long acquaintance with the sky and an interpretion of the Universe that appeals to both the mind and eye. The Digistar 3 system at the TAMIU Planetarium takes audiences on a fantastic voyage through the cosmos and beyond.
Library
The Laredo Public Library40 was first housed on the second floor of the City Hall, now known as the Market Hall, in 1916. In 1974, the Laredo Public Library moved to the historic Bruni Plaza in downtown Laredo. In 1993, the citizens of Laredo approved the construction of a new main library. The new main library opened its doors for the first time in February 1, 1998. The Laredo Public Library has a 60,000 sq ft (6,000 m2). main library and two branches that serve the City of Laredo. The main library is located in central Laredo and the Bruni Plaza Branch41 is located in downtown, and the Santo Niño Branch is located in south Laredo.42
Nightlife
Laredo has many known nightlife establishments.
"The Strip", located right off of Del Mar Boulevard, has also proven to be a popular party scene, featuring popular restaurant/bars such as Agave Azul, Old No.2, Cosmos, Crawdaddy's, and The Bleu Room.
The F Lounge, formerly known as the F Bar, is a popular club located in central Laredo.
Architecture and churches
