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Landmark Inn Complex
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The Landmark Inn in 2010.
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| Location: | Florella and Florence Sts, Castroville, Texas, USA |
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| Built: | 1849 to 1870s |
| Governing body: | Texas Historical Commission |
| NRHP Reference#: | 72001368[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | January 7, 1972 |
The Landmark Inn State Historic Site is a historic inn in Castroville, Texas, United States.
In 1839, Cesar Monod, a Swiss immigrant, arrived in Indianola, Texas[2] He settled on two lots in Castroville along the Medina River. In 1849, he constructed a limestone building that he used as his residence and business, a general store.
John Vance purchased the property in 1853, and began to rent rooms to travelers along the busy San Antonio - El Paso road that Castroville was located on. Vance added a second story to Monod's original building to accommodate more guests.
In 1854, Vance sold the riverfront of his property to George Haass and Laurent Quintle. They built a dam on the river and constructed a water powered grist mill to mill grain for the local farmers. Joseph Courand bought the mill in 1876 and his son purchased the hotel in 1899. Courand used the water power to also mill lumber and gin cotton.[3]
Jordan Lawler bought the entire property in 1925 and converted the mill to a hydroelectric plant and provided Castroville with electricity for the first time. He and his sister reopened the hotel as the Landmark Inn.
In 1974, the property was donated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that operated the complex as the Landmark Inn State Historical Park. On January 1, 2008, operational control of this site was transferred from Texas Parks and Wildlife to the Texas Historical Commission. The hotel portion of the complex still rents rooms and is known as Landmark Inn Bed and Breakfast.
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