WEBB COUNTY
Webb County, located on the Rio Grande River, has an area of 3,376 square miles of generally flat to rolling terrain and sandy, gray soils. The county ranges in elevation from 300 to 900 feet and has a warm climate that, in January, averages lows of 43 and in July highs of 99. Rainfall averages about 21 inches per year. Avery rapidly growing area, Webb County is projected by the Texas State Demographer (using mid-range assumptions) to expand in population by three quarters between 2000 and 2020, or from 193,117 to 342,130. About ninety per cent live in the county seat of Laredo which is a major highway gateway to Mexico and the southern terminus of Interstate Highway 35.
The Coahuiltecan groups of Indians were pushed out of the area by the Comanches and Apaches as well as by the Spanish who began to explore the area as early as the 1680’s. Laredo was founded in 1755 by Tomás Sánchez de la Barrera y Garza. Ranching provided the early economic base for the area although raids by Comanches discouraged many ranchers to abandon their land. After the Texas Revolution what is now Webb County was claimed by both Mexico and the Republic of Texas and, after 1845, by the United States. The Texas legislature established the county in 1848 and named it after a leader of the Republic. In 1899 the legislature abolished Encinal County and added its land to Webb County, making it the largest county in Texas east of the Pecos River.
After the Civil War, ranching expanded in Webb County and the coming of railroad lines in 1881 spurred economic growth. About this time coal became an important product for several decades but had declined sharply by about the time of the Second World War. Gas was discovered in 1908 and oil in 1921. The county is one of the major gas producers in the state. Passage of NAFTA in the 1990’s expanded the role of Laredo in international business and tourism contributes a major amount to the county’s economy.