Castro Colonies Heritage Association
Contact Name: Suann Agold
Contact Email: suannagold@gmail.com
A group of people “interested in the history, architecture and culture of Medina County, Texas, with special emphasis on the Castro Colonies” chartered the Castro Colonies Heritage Association (CCHA) in 1975. A major emphasis of CCHA is to preserve the heritage of those brave souls who followed Henri Castro to Texas to settle the towns of Castroville (1844), Quihi (1845), Vandenburg (1846, later moved to New Fountain) and D’Hanis (1847). Many of these pioneers came from Alsace (France), Germany, and Switzerland. It is their cultures and traditions that we strive to honor and preserve today.
Identifying and honoring the early homes of the colonists through preservation and renovation is one of the key projects of CCHA. In 1981, CCHA developed the Historic Preservation Award, given for distinguished contributions in preserving a landmark valuable to the history of Medina County. To date, this project has recognized over 120 historic homes and buildings
CCHA has published four books. The folklore committee compiled Let’s Celebrate, a book of holidays and special days as celebrated in Medina County, Texas. Old Favorite Receipts is a collection of recipes and folklore. In 1983, the association completed a 600-page History of Medina County, Texas, which tells of the founding of the county and includes over 700 family histories. In 2014, CCHA publishws the History of Medina County, Texas, Vol. II, which contains over one thousand new stories and family histories.
CCHA sponsors the “Alsatian Dancers of Texas,” a folk-dance group organized in 1980 with the help of the American Consulate in Strasbourg. They perform for local festivals and at the Folklife Festival in San Antonio.
CCHA with the City of Castroville has restored the historic “Biry/Ahr House” with the goal of establishing the Castro Living History Center. The Biry/Ahr House is now open for visitors as other parts of the grounds are being completed.
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 in 2009. This special relationship was re-affirmed in 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.
Alsatian Dancers: http://www.castrocolonies.us/alsatian-dancers.html