Castroville: Landmark Inn State Historic Site

People standing in front of a large white building and a narrative sign about the Landmark Inn Complex
Several buildings in a well landscaped area with the stone foundation of another building in the foreground
Two storey building in disrepair next to a low warehouse or industrial building. In front are men with horse-drawn carts containing goods

By 1900, the site became known as Castroville Mills.

Low falls on a river with large tree in foreground

Falls on the Medina River at Landmark Inn.

A stone building on the banks of a small river with a stone wall in a wooded area

Mill at Landmark Inn

These buildings helped power this Alsatian town’s success. Literally. Built in 1844 by Michel Simon as a simple home, the one-story house with a separate kitchen and a store was added in 1849 to accommodate travelers.  

When the land changed hands again, a grist mill and cotton gin were constructed which processed the crops of local farmers – powered by the waters of the Medina River. The complex eventually became a stopping point for hospitality, which is where it picked up the name “Landmark Inn”.

Today, a walking tour takes visitors throughout the sprawling grounds, past original foundations of the cotton gin, and tells the story of the Alsatians who helped settle Castroville.

Landmark Inn State Historic Site

  • Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Admission: Adults: $5, Ages 6-18/Students w/ID: $#
  • 402 E. Florence St., Castroville, TX
  • 830-931-2133
  • Visit Website
  • National Register of Historic Places, a Texas Historical Commission property
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