Laredo was founded on the north bank of the Rio Grande on May 15, 1755, when Captain Tomás Sánchez was granted permission to settle 15 leagues of land near a popular Indian ford on the river called El Paso de los Indios, also referred to as El Paso de Jacinto after explorer Jacinto de Leon. That settlement grew into a thriving community on both sides of the Rio Grande, establishing itself then, as it is now, 270 years later, as a prosperous trade outpost. In fact, today, Laredo is the nation’s largest inland port, with daily commercial traffic of 15,000 trucks; 1,200 rail cars, and 450 million pounds of air cargo annually. The Port of Laredo is a leader in international trade and commerce, currently ranked as the second largest port overall in the United States just behind the sea port of Los Angeles. Laredo is also the top trading partner with Mexico, representing a third of all U.S. Port Laredo boasts approximately $235 billion in trade annually with the world. Known today as the city under seven flags, as reflected in the official City of Laredo logo, Laredo is the principal port of entry of goods and tourists from Mexico and Latin America. As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, this border metropolis continues to be reinvigorated as new industry and residents make the Gateway City their home.
