The Texas State Historical Survey Committee recognized Saint Dominic Catholic Church and Cemetery in 1972. The remains/ruins of the church can be seen in D’Hanis Texas 55 miles West of San Antonio just off Highway 90. Located in the Castro Colony of D’Hanis the architecture is representative of the early immigration of Alsatians. The church construction began in 1853 using limestone from a local quarry. Ox-Wagons carried timber from the Medina River, likely at Castroville.

By 1914 the structure was abandoned in favor of a site in “New” D’Hanis just 1 mile away. When the Southern Pacific Railroad made their new survey the depot moved to the northwest. The more official town center had relocated. To best serve the community several new sanctuaries were built through time. The interesting history of the living and thriving community of faith continues(1). The current Holy Cross Church is fittingly built of D’Hanis brick, a local source of Hand-Made Natural Terra Cotta (2).

The limestone remains, while the cypress timbers have mostly vanished.

The arches are formed beautifully from large blocks of limestone and secured in place with a large and ornate Keystone. Gravity does all the work to interlock and support more block stonework above. Columns of very large blocks are on either side of this arched window.

Church windows would have been filled with stained and ornate glass. Exterior stone faces all have noticeable chisel markings created by the stonemasons. These increase the ability of the flat stone faces to hold plasters and future lime washes. How many stone masons were needed in this area to build this significant structure and apparently so many more homes?

References:

(1) The history from Saint Domenic Church to the current Holy Cross Church is chronicled here.

(2) D’Hanis Brick & Tile Company Since 1905 https://www.dhanisbricktile.com/index.htm