Joseph Courand

This home was built by Joseph Courand Jr. in 1882 as a gift for his wife, Julia. Courand was a graduate of St. Mary’s College in San Antonio and worked in the retail business and as a freelance surveyor.

After his father’s passing in 1879, Courand updated the gristmill, cotton gin and sawmill now known as the Landmark Inn State Historic Site. In 1899, he acquired the Vance Homestead, and by 1901, the Courand milling property was recognized as one of the best-equipped plants in the nation.

The Courand house is a remarkable example of Victorian architecture, featuring 12-foot ceilings and numerous windows, a stark contrast to the small stucco structures of the Alsatian homes prevalent in the Castro Colonies.

The house is built on a rock extending 6 feet below ground and has interior walls fastened to the exterior walls using hand-forged bolts. The front of the house has 4×6 beams around every opening, and the side walls have 4×4 beams around each opening, all running from floor to ceiling. In the 1940s, the Martin Bauml family transformed the home’s interior into a ranch-style home and allowed numerous organizations to use the home for weekend gatherings.

In 1979, the house was bought and fully restored by its fifth owner, Don Belcher and his wife. The original front door (apart from the glass), pocket doors, copper gutters and copper bathtub are all intact, with the side porch added before 1946. The staircase and antique pine banister were acquired in Houston and installed during the 1979 restoration. The door windows on either side of the front entry hall were used for convenient room access during social events and improved ventilation before the days of air-conditioning.

From 1990-95, the house was owned by Pat Eisemann and furnished with antiques. In 2025, the home is owned by Vince and Jennifer Andermatt. The house has an SCH marker, designating it as a Special Castroville Home.

Source: Castroville Garden Club booklets