Santo Tomás

Texas ghost towns run the full arc: cattle railheads, cotton towns the boll weevil broke, and oil booms that went bust.

Santo Tomás was a coal-mining town near Laredo in west central Webb County, Texas, United States. The town was founded in 1801 by Antonio Gonzales and was named in honor of Saint Thomas. During the colonial era, the land was used primarily for ranching. Pure quality cannel coal was found and extracted in 1873. In June 1882, the narrow-gauge Rio Grande and Pecos Railroad was built to transport the coal. By 1900, the town grew and had a population of approximately 1,000. By 1920, all the mines had closed and the population of Santo Tomás decreased to 18.

The on-the-ground condition of Santo Tomás is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Santo Tomás is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.