Texas Porch

County History

Castro County was named for a French-born empresario, not a rancher

Castro County takes its name from Henri Castro, a 19th-century diplomat and land agent for the Republic of Texas.

Castro County History & Culture

The Texas Legislature created Castro County in 1876. It was named for Henri Castro, who served as consul general to Paris for the Republic of Texas. Castro helped bring settlers to South Texas in the 1840s. The county was formally organized in late 1891, when Dimmitt was chosen as the county seat. The town was named for a developer associated with the land company that platted it.

The county's first residents were ranchers who arrived in the 1880s. After 1900, German immigrant farmers — recruited through a Catholic colonization effort — turned much of the grassland into cropland. By 1930 there were more than 750 farms in the county. Today Castro County is one of Texas's most productive agricultural regions, with corn, wheat, sorghum, and cotton as major crops.

Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas — Castro County

More Castro County notes

Property Tax

Who handles your property taxes in Castro County

Two separate offices handle property appraisals and tax collection in Castro County, and knowing the difference saves confusion.

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Ag Appraisal

Agricultural land appraisal can cut your tax bill in Castro County

Farmland in Castro County is typically taxed on its farming value, not its market value, which can mean a much lower tax bill.

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Groundwater

The Ogallala Aquifer is Castro County's water source — and it is declining

Nearly all water in Castro County comes from the Ogallala Aquifer, which has been dropping steadily for decades.

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Public Hunting

The Playa Lakes WMA near Dimmitt offers public waterfowl and pheasant hunting

Texas Parks and Wildlife manages a public hunting unit near Dimmitt where licensed hunters can apply for drawn waterfowl and pheasant hunts at no cost.

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