Santo Tomás

Santo Tomás is a ghost town located in west central Webb County, Texas, near Laredo. Its roots stretch back to 1801, when Antonio Gonzales founded the settlement and named it in honor of Saint Thomas. For much of its early existence the land served ranching purposes, but the discovery of cannel coal in 1873 shifted the town's identity entirely. A narrow-gauge railroad connecting the area to broader transport routes was completed in June 1882 to move that coal, and by the turn of the twentieth century the population had climbed to around 1,000 residents. By 1920, however, the mines had closed, and the community faded into the sparse landscape that surrounds it today.

Visitors to Santo Tomás today will find little more than remnants of a once-active coal town set against the dry scrubland of south Texas. The site rewards those interested in industrial and frontier history, and the surrounding terrain offers opportunities for photography and quiet exploration. Access roads in this part of Webb County can be rough, and summer heat is intense, so cooler months are the more practical time to visit.