Pescadito, Texas: A Ghost Town with Railroad Roots and Mesquite History

Pescadito is a small historic community in southwestern Webb County, Texas, not far from Laredo. The name comes from the Spanish word pescadito, meaning “little fish.” Although the settlement has largely disappeared, it is recorded in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) under feature ID 1378851.

Founding and Early History

The community began in 1881 as a stop along the Texas Mexican Railway. Its location served a practical purpose: providing fuel for locomotives. Pescadito supplied wood from local mesquite trees, which was harvested and used as railroad fuel in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

By 1907, the town supported a small one-teacher school with 26 white students, indicating that at least some families lived there permanently.

Population and Economy

In 1930, Pescadito had a population of about 25 residents and two businesses. The local economy revolved around providing mesquite wood for the railroad, but it lacked the size or industry to grow much beyond that.

When the Texas Mexican Railway transitioned from wood to coal as its primary fuel source, the town’s reason for existing diminished. The exact timing of the shift is not precisely documented, but by the mid-20th century Pescadito was in sharp decline. The Handbook of Texas notes that no population figures were reported after 1946.

Later Years and Decline

Although the settlement was in decline after World War II, it did not vanish entirely overnight. As late as 1990, reports noted that several houses still stood in the area. Since then, little evidence of an active community has been recorded. Today, Pescadito is considered a ghost town with minimal or no visible infrastructure.

Modern Context

While the original settlement has faded, the name lives on through oil and gas operations in the surrounding area. The Pescadito State leases in Webb County are part of ongoing exploration and production activities. These leases keep the name in use, even though the community itself is no longer active.

Key Facts

• Location: Southwestern Webb County, Texas, near Laredo

• Founded: 1881 as a stop on the Texas Mexican Railway

• Name: Spanish for “little fish”

• Main Industry: Harvesting mesquite wood for railroad fuel

• Population: About 25 in 1930; no figures reported after 1946

• School: One-teacher school with 26 students in 1907

• Status: Ghost town; several houses reported in 1990

• Present Use of Name: Active oil and gas leases in the Pescadito State area