It’s a long way from Wahlbach, France, to the Little Alsace of Texas (Castorville) 40 miles west of San Antonio. But a small Alsatian half-timbered house originally built between 1618 and 1648 made the journey and made history.
The four year relocation and restoration project was a joint project between local volunteers and skilled craftsmen from Alsace, France.
Beginning
In the early 1840’s when Henri Castro, Castroville’s namesake, was given a land grant by the Republic of Texas, he brought families from the Alsace region of France to settle this area beginning in 1844. Those Alsatian colonists were given land for homes and farms in and around Castroville and many of those descendants still live in this area, and farm that same land. They are very proud of their Alsatian heritage and maintain close ties with Alsace.
Half-Timbered Homes
A half-timbered house is the work of a carpenter. Nothing is left to chance: the construction of the house must follow very strict rules. Each element of the timber structure must be in harmony – also known as ‘architectonic equilibrium’. The house is formed as a sort of timber carcass which serves as a solid bone structure.
Screws or nails are never used and the strength of the structure is reinforced by using wooden plugs. The steeply sloping roof (up to 60 degrees) was designed to prevent snow from collecting and made of brown or red flat clay tiles in the shape of a beaver’s tail.
Visitors Welcome
You might enjoy a nice outing to visit this unique structure. The Steinbach Haus is now a Tourism Center in Castorville. It is open Monday – Friday 9 am–5 pm; Saturday 10 am–4 pm; and Sunday 11 am–3 pm.