Homes of

French Settlement, an area three miles northwest of Castroville, was so named because of the language spoken by several early settlers and their families. Many came with the Henri Castro expedition in 1844-1846.

Some of the settler’s family names were Bourquin, Geant, Sittre, Baby, Bendele and Burell.

French Settlement had a school named Burell School because it was built on Capt. Louis Burell’s property. Many of the early settlers attended school at French Settlement.

The Burrell School closed in the early 1930s. Later, Cora Burell acquired the building and made it into a restaurant known as Cora’s Place.

– Suehs, Virginia and Madelyn Koepp. “Communities: French Settlement.” The History of Medina County, Texas, Rev. ed., vol. 1, Castro Colonies Heritage Association, Castroville, TX, 1994, pp. 96-97.