ort McIntosh Campus
At the Fort McIntosh Campus, many classes and offices are housed in the same buildings that once housed military troops. Located on 200 acres at the western edge of Laredo, the fort was established as Camp Crawford in March 1849 near the point of an old Spanish and Indian river crossing. By 1850, the fort was renamed in honor of Lieutenant Colonel James Simmons McIntosh, a hero who lost his life after the Battle of Molino del Rey.
Fort McIntosh was one of a series of forts along the frontier named in honor of fallen officers in the Mexican-American War. Streets running throughout the campus also honor fallen heroes, presidents, fort commanders, officers and soldiers. The military buildings and the fort itself are archaeological landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
More recently, other campus buildings have honored military heroes, such as the Maravillo Gymnasium, named for Cpl. Quintin Maravillo, the first Laredo Junior College student to die in the line of duty in overseas military action. Also, the original post chapel was named for Private David B. Barkeley Cantu, the first Hispanic soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I.
Once the college district was created, it quickly grew into the premier location for higher education in the region. By 1967, a campus master plan was developed and construction of new buildings was necessary to meet the demands of a growing community. From this plan developed a slew of modern facilities, including a math and science building, a first-class library, nursing and allied health classrooms, and facilities for business education, criminal justice and physical education. A vocational building opened in the spring of 1973, a college student center followed in April of 1974, and by 1978, a new learning center opened.