Laredo is a city at the crossroads of North American history.

Founded by the Spanish in 1755, it has stood at the intersection of 
regional commerce since its earliest days. Now, John A. Adams, Jr. 
provides the first-ever panoramic business and economic history of 
Laredo. He traces the evolution of the region from its early days as a 
ranching center into the mid-twentieth century, when Laredo had 
become what it remains today: a booming port of trade and a 
principal center of commerce and financial services on the southern 
border of the United States.

    In Commerce and Conflict on the Rio Grande Adams demonstrates 
how the increasingly diversified economy of the region fed the fortunes 
of the city. His narrative, buttressed throughout by tables and 
statistics, paints a vivid mural of both the economic forces and the 
farsighted and ambitious individuals that combined to bring prosperity 
to this unique American city. Readers will find a wealth of insights 
into regional economics, history, and borderlands themes.

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For ten years, JOHN A. ADAMS, JR., lived and worked in Laredo, 
where he served as executive director and CEO of the Laredo 
Development Foundation. He now resides in Florida. He earned a 
Ph.D. in history from Texas A&M University.


Number Twelve: Canseco-Keck History Series