Medina County: River Landscapes and History

Medina County brings together historic sites, river landscapes, and opportunities for nature watching. You can plan your trip around a range of interests: Landmark Inn State Historic Site offers public tours and living history programs; Old River Road centers on a historic river crossing and the riverbank. You can also explore preserved architecture in Castroville and the settlement history of D’Hanis.

Stay and explore history at Landmark Inn

Landmark Inn State Historic Site in Castroville offers eight rooms and four different suite combinations for overnight stays. Those interested in the site’s history can attend public tours and living history programs. The grounds cover five acres beneath tall trees on the banks of the Medina River—a combination of historic site and river landscape.

Landmark Inn is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Check the opening hours again before your trip to make sure they fit your plans. The overnight accommodation provides a practical starting point for a stay, while the tours and programs offer a distinct way to explore the site’s history.

River crossing, riverbank, and seasonal nature

Medina County Road 477, also known as Old River Road, is accessible during the day. At the ford on Cagnon Road along the Medina River, visitors can walk along the riverbank and often wade through the water. Water conditions vary, so plan your visit for daytime and take changing conditions into account. Conditions at the ford depend on the water level, and the opportunity to wade is not the same on every visit.

Old River Road passes a historic ford that the Spanish used in the 18th century to transport building materials and supplies to the missions in Frio River Canyon. The history of the crossing adds a different dimension to the site than today’s riverside activities. Wildflowers bloom along Ponder Road in summer; butterflies found along the roadsides include Pipevine Swallowtail, Red Admiral, and Buckeye. Medina Dam adds to the area’s history: completed in 1912, it was then considered the largest dam in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States.

Architecture and local history in Castroville

Downtown Castroville is designated a National Historic District and has largely preserved its architectural appearance from the time of its founding in the 1840s. A self-guided tour of the Castroville Historic District includes more than 50 sites. Castroville also has 96 so-called settlement or pioneer houses, as well as other buildings dating from 1844 to 1920. A walking tour offers a chance to take in a range of buildings and historical periods.

The Steinbach Haus serves as Castroville’s visitor center and a point of reference for exploring the area. The city’s public parks offer nature trails, a municipal pool, an RV park, and other green spaces. Together, these offer different ways to spend your time: take a self-guided tour of historic sites, explore architecture from several decades, or enjoy time in and around the municipal parks.

D’Hanis and Hondo: other perspectives on history

D’Hanis was founded in 1847 as the fourth colony established by Empresario Henri Castro in Medina County. The pioneers were mostly Alsatian immigrants; their settlement illustrates a Texas European colonial settlement from 1850 to 1880. The vaulted sandstone ruins of St. Dominic Church are reminders of the old settlement. The church was built in 1853, expanded in 1869, and abandoned in 1914.

In Hondo, a museum in the old railroad depot displays numerous artifacts donated by families from Medina County. Together with D’Hanis and the Castroville Historic District, it offers different perspectives on the area’s history, from immigration and settlement to church architecture and objects passed down in the region.

Discover more destinations: Childress County, Mills County, Hockley County, Willacy County, Gonzales, Oldham.

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