| Marker Text |
Castroville was founded by Empresario Henri Castro in 1844. By the mid-1840s, immigrants, many from the Alsatian region in Europe, began to settle here. The unique Alsatian culture was recreated in the countryside of Medina County and largely remains intact. An excellent example of early Alsatian immigrant architecture, the Biry house was built between 1847 and 1850 by Jean Jacques (Jacob) Biry (1816-1868). He was born in Oberentzen, Alsace, and immigrated to Texas in December 1846 at the age of 30. In 1847, this lot was purchased by Jacob and his business partner, Etienne (Stephen) Ahr (1821-1903), also from Alsace. According to deed records, Jacob and Stephen purchased several properties jointly. Soon, Jacob began constructing a home on this site. On June 12, 1849, Jacob married Marianna Bilhartz (1828-1920), the sister of Stephen Ahr’s wife, Anne Marie Bilhartz (1830-1913). The Birys raised their four boys and Marianna’s four brothers in this house. This historic home was built of local semi-regular shaped limestone stacked with a lime-based mortar. With asymmetric and steep roofs, thick walls and small rooms, the house reflects a humble lifestyle of hardworking people with a sense of tradition. Wide cypress planks or large flat flagstone covered the floors along with cedar shakes on the roof. Constructed room by room over a period of several years, the house consists of two front rooms, a rear lean-to and a loft, reachable by a wooden stairway. The simple yet unique architecture of the Biry house enhances the heritage of Medina County and Castroville. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2016 |
