Webb County Was Created in 1848 After the Mexican-American War

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 ended the Mexican-American War and made the Rio Grande the border between the U.S. and Mexico. That same year, the Texas legislature created Webb County out of this new territory. The county was named after Judge James Webb, a Texas official.

Laredo became the county seat. The Rio Grande boundary split what had been the old community of Laredo — residents on the Mexican side founded Nuevo Laredo. Today the two cities face each other across the river, connected by bridges and shared history.