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It was in the mid-1800s that French Alsatian and German settlers began to arrive in Medina County, west of San Antonio and build their homes in the rugged landscape. Many of the houses they built stand today as tactile representations of simplicity in design and function, serving as a major source of community pride and inspiring the work of architects from the 20th century to today. This is a comprehensive catalog of the Castro colonies pioneer homes and the distinct historic architecture of Medina County.
— Architect Dave Williams, 1928
Immigrants who settled in the Castro colonies and what became Medina County brought with them their unique culture, language and distinct architectural style. They adapted that style to the Texas climate and topography, building homes of rough-cut native limestone, sandstone or a combination of stone and timber. For exterior walls, they often used lime plaster and coasted interior walls with adobe.
The Castro colonies are settlements established in South Texas by colonists primarily from France, Germany and Switzerland in the mid-1800s. The settlements include the towns of Castroville (est. 1844), Quihi (est. 1845), Vandenburg (est. in 1846 and later moved to New Fountain), D’Hanis (est. 1847) and others. The layout of these settlements was reminiscent of European villages with town lots surrounded by outlying farming plots.
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Questions or comments about this site? Email castrocolonieshomes@gmail.com
