Castroville Was Built by Alsatian Settlers in 1844 and Still Shows It

Henri Castro was a French empresario who brought hundreds of settlers from the Alsace region of France to Texas in 1844. They built Castroville along the Medina River using limestone and timber. The buildings had steep roofs and narrow lanes like European villages. St. Louis Catholic Church, built in 1844, was the first church in Medina County.

Today Castroville is recognized as a state and national historic district with 97 preserved historic buildings. You can tour them on foot. The Landmark Inn State Historic Site, operated by the Texas Historical Commission, sits on five acres along the river and offers overnight rooms in a preserved 19th-century building.