Vance Hotel and Store
Castroville, Medina County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Constructed in 1849 with local limestone, mortar and cypress lumber, this building includes elements of Alsatian domestic architecture found in Castroville. The 18-inch-thick walls were originally coated with a whitewashed lime plaster, while split cypress shingles covered the gabled roof. It was first a house, store, and post office for Swiss merchant Caesar Monod. By the 1860s, John and Rowena Vance added a wing for the store and a second story for guest rooms. The Vance Hotel, with a nearby bath house and kitchen, gave comfort to travelers on the Eagle Pass - San Antonio Road. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1849 of local limestone and cypress, this thick-walled building shows the Alsatian architecture that immigrant colonists brought to Castroville. It began as the home, store, and post office of Swiss merchant Caesar Monod, and by the 1860s John and Rowena Vance had added a store wing and a second story of guest rooms. With a nearby bath house and kitchen, the Vance Hotel offered rest to travelers on the Eagle Pass–San Antonio Road.
Why it matters
The building preserves the distinctive Alsatian building traditions of Castroville's European colonists and its role as a way station on a key South Texas road.
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Related people
- · Caesar Monod
- · John Vance
- · Rowena Vance
Themes & tags
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