Texas Historical Marker #09440
German Settlements. 3 settlements were begun in 1847 on Fisher-Miller land grant by German Emigration Company, under Commissioner General John O. Meusebach. Castell: Llano County's first permanent town, settled with Fredericksburg pioneers. Only lasting settlement made on the grant by the German Emigration Company. Leiningen: site 3 miles to east. Non-existent today. Bettina: first communal settlement in Texas. Located where Elm Creek enters Llano River. Abandoned in less than a year, when supplies ran out. #9440
?, Castell, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #09453
St. John Lutheran Church. German Lutherans in this area were served by circuit-riding lay minister Dietrich Rode as early as 1870. A congregation was organized in 1893 on the north side of the Llano River in the Leiningen settlement (about 3 mi. E). A second church, known as Leiningen Two or Zion, was built on the south side of the river (5 mi. E) in 1907. The two congregations merged as St. Johannes Evangelische Gemeinde in 1926, and a new sanctuary was built. Worship services were conducted in German until the 1950s, and the name was changed to St. John Lutheran Church. #9453
?, Castell, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #09444
Homesite of Emil Kriewitz. Arriving on the Texas coast from Potsdam, Germany, at the onset of the Mexican war in 1846, Emil Kriewitz began his Texas exploits by serving in the U.S. Army. He later was engaged by the Adelsverein to assist German settlement along the Llano River, an area then occupied by the Comanche Indians. At great personal risk, Emil lived with the Indians as a gesture of good will. In 1857 he married Amalia Markwort. They built their home and a small Sunday house on this site about 1867. He served as justice of the peace and postmaster before his death in 1902. (1993) #9444
?, Castell, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #12412
Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery. The oldest documented grave in this burial ground, that of two-year-old Feodor Leifeste, dates from 1871. Two years later, Carl Lehmberg deeded land to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, setting aside this part of the property for a cemetery. Reflecting the area's German heritage, the burial ground contains both marked and unmarked graves and historically served the Castell, Mason and Llano communities. Burials here include those of German immigrants and their descendants, several ordained Methodist ministers, and veterans of armed conflicts dating back to the Civil War. (2001) #12412
?, Castell, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #12449
Castell School. Education for students in Castell may have begun as early as 1852, according to local oral tradition. Earliest written records indicate that the Llano County commissioners court designated the Castell School as District No. 6 in 1884, and land was deeded for the school's use six years later. Members of the community built a two-room schoolhouse, which was expanded to three classrooms in 1929. Castell School housed ten grades, so students wishing to complete their high school education did so in Llano, Fredericksburg or Mason. Due to declining enrollment, the school closed in 1948 and was consolidated with the Llano School District, but the school building remained in use as a community center. (2001) #12449
?, Castell, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #09436
Castell. On the Fisher-Miller land grant three settlements of the German Emigration Company directed by Commissioner General John O. Meusebach began in 1847. Castell - only permanent settlement made by the company on the land grant. First permanent town in Llano County. Settled by pioneers from Fredericksburg. Leiningen - site three miles east, non-existent today. Bettina - located where Elm Creek enters Llano River. First communal settlement in Texas. Abandoned in less than a year when supplies ran out. #9436
?, Castell, TX, United States