Los Ojuelos, Texas

Los Ojuelos^[1] is a ghost town near Mirando City in the southeastern part of Webb County, Texas, United States. Before its establishment, Indians camped near the only dependable water source in the semiarid area. The local springs attracted Eugenio Gutiérrez in 1810 and attempted to settle in the area. Frequent Indian attacks forced Gutiérrez to abandon the site. in 1835, Eugenio's son returned to the site and tried to resettle the area but Indian attacks drove him back. In 1850, a company of Texas Rangers were stationed on the site to protect the trade route Laredo, Texas - Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1857, José María Guerra, grandson of Eugenio Gutiérrez and an ancestor of Laredo businessman Joe A. Guerra, built an irrigation system and a wall around Los Ojuelos to protect from Indian attacks.

By 1860, Los Ojuelos population grew to 400. In 1855 the Texas-Mexican railroad bypassed the town by a few miles. In 1904 the population declined to 174. In 1920 oil was found nearby, but Mirando City was established. The oil boom helped Los Ojuelos grow but in 1950 drilling for oil stopped. Today, Los Ojuelos remains a ghost town.

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places added the Los Ojuelos (#76002084) to its registered historic districts in 1976. Its historic significance includes information potential and its 1850-1874, 1875-1899 mission Spanish Revival architecture and engineering. Los Ojuelos main structures of significance are a Religious Structure, School, and a Specialty Store.^[2]

References

Municipalities and communities of Webb County, Texas, United States
County seat: Laredo
Cities	El Cenizo Laredo Rio Bravo
CDPs	Aguilares Bonanza Hills Botines Bruni Colorado Acres Four Points Hillside Acres La Coma La Presa Laredo Ranchettes Laredo Ranchettes West Larga Vista Las Haciendas Las Pilas Los Altos Los Arcos Los Centenarios Los Corralitos Los Fresnos Los Huisaches Los Minerales Los Nopalitos Los Veteranos I Los Veteranos II Mirando City Oilton Pueblo East Pueblo Nuevo Ranchitos East Ranchitos Las Lomas Ranchos Penitas West San Carlos I San Carlos II Sunset Acres Tanquecitos South Acres Tanquecitos South Acres II Valle Verde
Other unincorporated communities	Callaghan Dolores Las Tiendas Old Milwaukee East Colonia Old Milwaukee West Colonia Webb
Ghost towns	Darwin Islitas Los Ojuelos Pescadito Santo Tomás

Coordinates: 27°24′11″N 98°59′47″W / 27.40306°N 98.99639°W / 27.40306; -98.99639