The little Alsace of Texas
About 25 miles west of San Antonio, Castroville, Texas, is a cozy town of 3,000 people along the scenic Medina River. Founded in 1844, it's known as "the little Alsace of Texas," as several dozen families from Alsace first settled there, and the city keeps this heritage alive through the passing down of language and culture. Many of its residents today can trace their lineages to this settlement and are proud to maintain their ancestors' land. "Castroville has a deep Alsatian history," says longtime Medina Valley resident and Realtor Shannon Beasley. "It has a strong sense of community, it's close to San Antonio and the beautiful Medina River runs through town."
Ranch-style homes in Castroville
Castroville's housing market is primarily single-story ranch-style houses, often with large, shaded front porches perfect for spending time outside on a Texas summer evening. Uncurbed roads and plentiful older homes help Castroville maintain its small-town, country charm despite recent developments on the city's outskirts. "In Castroville, between the historic homes, the farms and the ranch properties, you've got a variety of housing, and it's more affordable than other parts of the San Antonio metro area," Beasley says. The median price here is $300,000, with listings starting around $165,000 for a cozy fixer-upper and getting as high as $800,000 for a fully renovated historic home. For most three- to four-bedroom single-family homes, buyers should expect to spend around $300,000 to $500,000.
Haby's Alsatian Bakery and Billy Bob's Hamburgers
A stop in Castroville is never complete without swinging by Haby's Alsatian Bakery, which has many baked goods, including doughnuts, honey buns, and cinnamon rolls. They also sell fresh bread by the loaf and bake the best wedding cakes in town. Hondo's Billy Bob's Hamburgers has a location in Castroville, with a menu of burger combos available for dine-in or drive-thru. Dziuk's Meat Market is where most people in town get their meat; for all other grocery shopping, they head to Castroville's Walmart.
Medina Valley Independent School District
Students in Castroville attend schools in the Medina Valley Independent School District, which covers roughly 300 square miles and includes Castroville, La Costa, Rio Medina, Dunlay, Mico and parts of San Antonio. They start at Castroville Elementary School, which received an A rating on the educational review site, Niche, before continuing to Medina Valley Middle School, which received an A-minus, and graduating from Medina Valley High School, which received a B-plus. The Medina Valley Independent School District offers Career & Technical Education in areas including health science, construction and STEM. St. Louis Catholic School is also in Castroville for parents who prefer private education.
Cool off at Castroville Regional Park
In the southwest part of town, Castroville Regional Park is 126 wooded acres along the Medina River with a riverside walking trail, athletic fields and a playground. It also has a pool, where residents can take fitness classes or swimming lessons, compete on a swim team, go for a night swim or cool off on a hot summer day. Since Texas is part of the Central Flyway, a flight path extending from Canada to South America that birds use for migration, the park is an excellent place to spot birds on their seasonal migrations; it's also known to be a spot to see butterflies. Castroville also has a smaller neighborhood park called Lions Park, with a splash pad for kids to play in.
Castroville's community events
Castroville fosters community and celebrates its culture with citywide events throughout the year. In April, residents walk or run the Castroville Historic Walking Tour Route or bike a scenic loop through Castroville for the annual Tour de Castroville, which benefits Castroville's Parks and Recreation. Each summer, they come together for an annual 4th of July celebration with a picnic in Castroville Regional Park and fireworks over the Medina River. The city also has a bi-annual City Wide Yard Sale that benefits the Castroville Area Pet Shelter and an annual Cooking for the Kids barbecue cookoff to support the Bluebonnet Children's Advocacy Center.
Transportation to San Antonio
Castroville sits along U.S. Route 90, which residents can take about 25 miles east to get to San Antonio. The closest hospital to Castroville is the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, 18 miles northeast, and the nearest major airport is the San Antonio International Airport, 30 miles northeast. Castroville also has a municipal airport, which offers access to aviation fuel, aircraft parking and hangers. Castroville has no bus system, but Alamo Regional Transit allows Medina Country residents to book curb-to-curb transportation services at least 24 hours in advance.
