"The Little Alsace of Texas"

"Castroville is a small town with a rich cultural heritage nestled in the Medina River Valley just 20 miles west of San Antonio. Known as “The Little Alsace of Texas” Castroville was founded in 1844 by Henri Castro, for whom the town is named. The first European emigrant settlers in this area were mostly Catholic farmers from Alsace, a region of France, brought over to fulfill Castro’s contract to colonize vacant Texas Land. Calling themselves Alsatians, they were mostly of German decent, speaking a dialect of German....

Mostly a farming community in the early days, the city of over 3,000 people now boasts agriculture, civic, commercial and industrial advancements. Castroville still has strong cultural ties to Alsace as many of its citizens are descendents of the original settlers who journeyed here from Alsace in 1844. It’s the home to many who can trace their ancestry back to their sister city, Eguisheim, Alsace,France...,"

Heritage & History," Castroville Area Chamber of Commerce.