A glance at our history,
a glimpse at our future
The Castro Colonies Heritage Association was chartered August 28, 1975, with Rodney Noonan as the first president. The first meeting was held at Landmark Inn in Castroville on September 21, 1975.
The organization was formed by a group of people “interested in the history, architecture and culture of Medina County, Texas, with special emphasis on the Castro Colonies.” A major emphasis of CCHA is to preserve the heritage of those brave souls who followed Henri Castro to Texas to create and settle the towns of Castroville (1844), Quihi (1845), Vandenburg (1846, later moved to New Fountain) and D’Hanis (1847). The majority of these pioneers came from Alsace (France), Germany and Switzerland. It is their cultures and traditions that we strive to honor and preserve today.
One of the early projects of the organization was to identify and honor the early homes of the colonists that had been preserved and renovated. In 1981, CCHA developed the Historic Preservation Award, given for distinguished contributions in preserving a landmark valuable to the history of Medina County. This project has recognized over 120 historic homes and buildings and continues to look for more projects to acknowledge.
CCHA has published four books over the years. The folklore committee compiled Let’s Celebrate, a book of holidays and special days as celebrated in Medina County, Texas. Old Favorite Receipts, a collection of recipes and folklore is presently in its 10th printing. In 1983 the association completed a two-year project by publishing the 600-page History of Medina County, Texas, now in its fifth printing. This book tells of the founding of the county and includes over 700 family histories. In 2014, CCHA took another important step in preserving the heritage of the Castro colonists by publishing the History of Medina County, Texas, Vol. II. This new volume contains over one thousand new stories and family histories.
CCHA has been instrumental in having other historic writings reproduced. Originally published in 1934, Julia Nott Waugh’s book Castro-ville and Henry Castro has been reprinted. Recovering a priceless account of history, the association reprinted August Santleben’s A Texas Pioneer, originally published in 1910. Father Cyril Kuehne’s Ripples from Medina Lake was reissued through cooperation with St. Mary’s University and St. Francis Chapel at Mico.
CCHA sponsors the “Alsatian Dancers of Texas,” a folk dance group organized in 1980 with the help of the American Consulate in Strasbourg. The dance group traveled to New York in 1986 to help celebrate the re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty. After several years of inactivity, the dance group has recently been reactivated. Their first performances will take place in late summer of 2014.
CCHA has and will continue to work with the City of Castroville to restore the historic “Biry House” with the long term goal of establishing the Castro Living History Center.
Through the years the association has assisted with the organization of group tours to Alsace and hosted many Alsatians visiting Texas and Medina County. Two Castro colonies were twinned with villages in Haut-Rhin, Alsace: Castroville with Eguisheim in 1975 and D’Hanis with Niederentzen/Oberentzen in 1978.
The members of CCHA continue to maintain the bond of camaraderie forged between the Castro Colonies and our distant friends in Alsace. The Steinbach House in Castroville, a gift from the citizens of Ensisheim, is a symbol of this continued friendship. Ensisheim and Castroville officially became sister cities at a ceremony held in Castroville on March 21, 2009. This special relationship was re-affirmed on June 19, 2011, when citizens of Medina County visited Ensisheim for a complementary twinning ceremony. The Alsace Medina County Texas association in Ensisheim celebrates their kinship with the citizens of Medina County each year with a barbecue in the village of Blodelsheim, and each year Texans from Medina County travel to France for the event.
Everyone interested in the goals and activities of the CCHA is invited to join our organization, no matter where they live. Members receive a yearbook/membership directory and four newsletters per year. Meetings are held quarterly in March, June, September and December, and feature informative and entertaining programs of varied interests. The next few years will bring programs that recognize the 170th anniversary of the founding of Castroville, Quihi and D’Hanis.
The organization was formed by a group of people “interested in the history, architecture and culture of Medina County, Texas, with special emphasis on the Castro Colonies.” A major emphasis of CCHA is to preserve the heritage of those brave souls who followed Henri Castro to Texas to create and settle the towns of Castroville (1844), Quihi (1845), Vandenburg (1846, later moved to New Fountain) and D’Hanis (1847). The majority of these pioneers came from Alsace (France), Germany and Switzerland. It is their cultures and traditions that we strive to honor and preserve today.
One of the early projects of the organization was to identify and honor the early homes of the colonists that had been preserved and renovated. In 1981, CCHA developed the Historic Preservation Award, given for distinguished contributions in preserving a landmark valuable to the history of Medina County. This project has recognized over 120 historic homes and buildings and continues to look for more projects to acknowledge.
CCHA has published four books over the years. The folklore committee compiled Let’s Celebrate, a book of holidays and special days as celebrated in Medina County, Texas. Old Favorite Receipts, a collection of recipes and folklore is presently in its 10th printing. In 1983 the association completed a two-year project by publishing the 600-page History of Medina County, Texas, now in its fifth printing. This book tells of the founding of the county and includes over 700 family histories. In 2014, CCHA took another important step in preserving the heritage of the Castro colonists by publishing the History of Medina County, Texas, Vol. II. This new volume contains over one thousand new stories and family histories.
CCHA has been instrumental in having other historic writings reproduced. Originally published in 1934, Julia Nott Waugh’s book Castro-ville and Henry Castro has been reprinted. Recovering a priceless account of history, the association reprinted August Santleben’s A Texas Pioneer, originally published in 1910. Father Cyril Kuehne’s Ripples from Medina Lake was reissued through cooperation with St. Mary’s University and St. Francis Chapel at Mico.
CCHA sponsors the “Alsatian Dancers of Texas,” a folk dance group organized in 1980 with the help of the American Consulate in Strasbourg. The dance group traveled to New York in 1986 to help celebrate the re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty. After several years of inactivity, the dance group has recently been reactivated. Their first performances will take place in late summer of 2014.
CCHA has and will continue to work with the City of Castroville to restore the historic “Biry House” with the long term goal of establishing the Castro Living History Center.
Through the years the association has assisted with the organization of group tours to Alsace and hosted many Alsatians visiting Texas and Medina County. Two Castro colonies were twinned with villages in Haut-Rhin, Alsace: Castroville with Eguisheim in 1975 and D’Hanis with Niederentzen/Oberentzen in 1978.
The members of CCHA continue to maintain the bond of camaraderie forged between the Castro Colonies and our distant friends in Alsace. The Steinbach House in Castroville, a gift from the citizens of Ensisheim, is a symbol of this continued friendship. Ensisheim and Castroville officially became sister cities at a ceremony held in Castroville on March 21, 2009. This special relationship was re-affirmed on June 19, 2011, when citizens of Medina County visited Ensisheim for a complementary twinning ceremony. The Alsace Medina County Texas association in Ensisheim celebrates their kinship with the citizens of Medina County each year with a barbecue in the village of Blodelsheim, and each year Texans from Medina County travel to France for the event.
Everyone interested in the goals and activities of the CCHA is invited to join our organization, no matter where they live. Members receive a yearbook/membership directory and four newsletters per year. Meetings are held quarterly in March, June, September and December, and feature informative and entertaining programs of varied interests. The next few years will bring programs that recognize the 170th anniversary of the founding of Castroville, Quihi and D’Hanis.