Little Alsace of Texas
Welcome to Castroville, the "Little Alsace of Texas," founded in 1844 by Alsatian settlers along the Medina River and known for its preserved 19th-century European architecture just west of San Antonio.
Castroville is a small city in Medina County, Texas, set along the Medina River about 25 miles west of downtown San Antonio along the US 90 corridor. Founded in 1844 by Henri Castro and families from the Alsace region of France, it is widely known as the "Little Alsace of Texas," and its European roots remain visible in the town's streets, buildings, and identity more than 180 years later. The 2020 census counted 2,954 residents, and the community is part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area. The town's founding story is unusual for Texas. Henri Castro, an empresario, brought Alsatian colonists to a land grant along the Medina River, and their building traditions shaped a streetscape of distinctive 19th-century European architecture that survives today. The Steinbach Haus, a 17th-century Alsatian home dismantled in France and reassembled in Castroville, serves as the visitors center, while the Landmark Inn State Historic Site and St. Louis Catholic Church anchor the historic core. Castroville pairs its historic character with the practical advantages of San Antonio's western edge. Residential growth has added newer subdivisions around the original town, and Medina Valley Independent School District—whose high school and elementary campus sit in town—serves the area. The community draws commuters who work in San Antonio but prefer a small town, as well as history-minded residents who value the preserved Alsatian heritage. Day-to-day life revolves around the Medina River and the outdoors. Castroville Regional Park offers more than a dozen trails for hiking and biking, river access for swimming and fishing, birding, a butterfly garden, and courts and fields for tennis, pickleball, soccer, and basketball. The Alsatian Golf Club provides an additional recreational draw. With its blend of preserved heritage and modern growth, Castroville offers a distinctive alternative to suburban San Antonio living.
Castroville is in Medina County, Texas, about 25 miles west of downtown San Antonio along the US 90 corridor. The city is part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area and sits along the Medina River.
Castroville was founded in 1844 by Henri Castro and families from France's Alsace region, who settled a land grant along the Medina River. The town retains distinctive 19th-century Alsatian architecture, including the Steinbach Haus and the Landmark Inn State Historic Site.
Medina Valley Independent School District serves Castroville. Medina Valley High School and Castroville Elementary School are both located in town, and the district has expanded with recent bond-funded school projects to accommodate area growth.
Castroville is about 25 miles west of downtown San Antonio, a drive of roughly 25 to 30 miles along US 90. The town functions as a western suburb of San Antonio while maintaining its small-town, historic character.
Castroville Regional Park offers more than a dozen trails, Medina River access for swimming and fishing, and sports facilities. Visitors also explore the historic downtown, the Steinbach Haus, and the Landmark Inn, and the Alsatian Golf Club is nearby.
City Guide
Castroville's housing stock spans more than a century and a half. The historic core contains homes and commercial buildings reflecting the town's Alsatian architectural heritage, with 1840s-era limestone and European-influenced designs that are rare in Texas. Around that center, the city has grown with conventional single-family subdivisions, reflecting its role as a western suburb of San Antonio. The surrounding countryside offers larger lots and rural acreage along the Medina River and farm-to-market roads. This range—from historic cottages to newer tract homes to rural properties—gives buyers distinctly different choices within a small community, all within a short drive of San Antonio's west side.
The heart of Castroville is its historic downtown district along the Medina River, where Alsatian-style buildings, the Steinbach Haus, the Landmark Inn, and St. Louis Catholic Church cluster near the original 1844 town site. Newer residential subdivisions fan out from this core, particularly along the US 90 corridor and connecting farm-to-market roads, accommodating the town's growth as a San Antonio bedroom community. Beyond the developed areas, scattered acreage and ranchettes line the river and surrounding countryside, offering a more rural setting. This layering of historic center, suburban subdivisions, and open land defines the community's varied residential character.
Life in Castroville blends a small-town Texas pace with a strong European heritage. Residents and visitors explore the historic downtown's architecture, visit the Steinbach Haus and Landmark Inn, and take part in community traditions rooted in the town's Alsatian identity. St. Louis Catholic Church, a local landmark, reflects the community's long history. The town's shops and gathering places center on the historic district, while San Antonio, about 25 miles east, provides big-city dining, culture, and employment. The result is a lifestyle that feels far removed from the metro but remains closely connected to it.
Castroville is served by Medina Valley Independent School District, which has its administrative offices in town. Medina Valley High School and Castroville Elementary School are both located in Castroville, placing key campuses close to home. The district has grown alongside western Medina County's population, with recent bond-funded projects including new school facilities to accommodate enrollment. Families relocating to the area typically attend Medina Valley ISD schools, and the district serves a broad area between Castroville and the San Antonio metro's western edge. Prospective residents should confirm current attendance boundaries with the district.
Castroville sits along the US 90 corridor about 25 miles west of downtown San Antonio, a drive of roughly 25 to 30 miles that makes it a practical base for commuters to the city's west side. US 90 and connecting farm-to-market roads link the town to nearby Medina County communities and to San Antonio's highway network, including access to Loop 1604 and the broader interstate system. As part of the San Antonio–New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area, Castroville offers small-town living with a direct route into one of Texas's largest cities.
Castroville Regional Park is the community's outdoor hub, set along the Medina River. The park offers more than a dozen trails for hiking, jogging, and biking, along with river access for swimming and fishing, birding areas, a butterfly garden, and facilities for tennis, pickleball, soccer, and basketball. It hosts picnics and community gatherings for visitors of all ages. The Alsatian Golf Club adds a golf option near town. For broader recreation, residents are within easy reach of San Antonio's parks, the Hill Country to the north and west, and the Medina River's scenic stretches.
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