Laredo in Webb County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Texas Mexican Railway
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), December 25, 2020
The lucrative valley market was sought by other rail companies who were vying for its control. Lott engineered the sale of the Corpus Christi and Rio Grande Railroad to a syndicate in the 1880s. The new owners were granted a charter with the name of the Texas-Mexican Railway Company. Laredo emerged as a major rail trading center and its population tripled in the 1880s.
Over time the Texas Mexican Railway remained competitive by upgrading its system. Improvements included converting to standard gauge track by 1902, switching its locomotives to diesel electric in 1939, placing trailer on flatcars in the 1950s, and expanding operations into Houston and Beaumont in 1996.
Erected 1997 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 5435.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.
Location. 27° 30.569′ N, 99° 30.457′ W. Marker is in Laredo, Texas, in Webb County. Marker is at the intersection of Convent Avenue and Salinas Avenue, on the left when traveling north on Convent Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1120 Convent Ave, Laredo TX 78040, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Webb County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Webb County (approx. 0.2 miles away); Holding Institute (Laredo Seminary) (approx. 0.2 miles away); United States Post Office and Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Jarvis Plaza (approx. ¼ mile away); Laredo World War I Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Laredo Fire Department (approx. ¼ mile away); Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Laredo.
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), December 26, 2020
Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 272 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.