In 1847, Henri Castro established D'Hanis, his fourth colony, 1.5 miles east of this site. Named for a Castro Company official, it was built by Alsatian immigrants who endured great hardship to create a community that thrived for more than 30 years. In 1881, when the railroad bypassed the town, D'Hanis moved with it. Helped by the railroad, the new D'Hanis flourished by sending cattle, cotton, and brick to market. From 1900, a strong Mexican American community grew there and contributed to the town's fortune. The new settlement survived crop failures and the Great Depression and became known simply as D'Hanis.