Castolon Historic District consists of 10 contributing buildings and 3 noncontributing buildings.
The Cavalry barracks is listed as a contributing building to the Castolon Historic District at Big Bend National Park.
From the Nomination form on file with the Texas Historical Commission: (
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"The Castolon Historic District contains 2 major groups of structures, distinguished by their origin. The first is commonly called "Old Castolon" and the second the "Castolon Army Compound." All were part of what came to be known as the La Harmonia Ranch. Within the Historic District are the following historic structures:
Old Castolon
BBH-618 Old Castolon Store
617 Cafe and Residence
616 Shed
Army Compound
BBH-600 Barracks (CastoUon Store)
601 Recreation Hall (Utility Building)
602 Latrine
603 Officers Quarters
604 Officers Quarters
605 Magdalena House
606 Garlick House
607 Alvino Residence
608 Granary and Tack Room
(The Magdalena and Garlick Houses were not part of the Army Compound; they were added later as part of the La Harmonia Ranch. The Alvino Residence is probably one of the oldest structures in the park, dating to ca. 1903. It is located at the base of the bluff on which the other structures are situated, and is not part of the general scene of the army compound.)
Miscellaneous:
BBH-111 "Derrick-Residence
609 Cotton Gin
Almost all of the structures are constructed of adobe block. The majority have pitched roofs with corrugated metal roofing, although-several follow the more indigenous viga, latia, and soil roof system. The buildings vary from good to ruins condition. Buildings""616, 617 and 618 have been restored by the National Park Service. The Army buildings are, for the most part, still in use, being used variously for store, residential, administrative, and storage purposes. Buildings 606, 607, and 609 are in various states of deterioration and 609 is threatened with destruction due to erosion of the river bank. The overall historic appearance of the area has lost much to NPS operation.''The primary significance of the Castolon Historic District lies in the border relations between the United States and Mexico. The general border unrest of the first part of the 20th century, occasioned by the Mexican Revolution and World War I, resulted in U.S. Cavalry patrols to protect lives and property along the Mexican border.
The Castolon Army Compound (known as Camp Santa Helena) was constructed to garrison such troops. Although it was constructed just as these border tensions eased and consequently saw little use by the Army, it is nevertheless a tangible remnant of this facet of our relations with Mexico.
The first store in the Castolon area was begun about 1903 by Cipriano Hernandez in the east end of the so-called Alvino Residence (BBH-607). Acquired by Clyde Buttrill and James Sublett in 1914, the enterprise was moved to the "Old Castolon Store" (BBH-618). Under the partnership of Howard Perry and Wayne Cartledge (acquired in 1919) the Castolon Store continued to serve residents on both sides of the border, first at Old Castolon and later in the barracks building (BBH-600) at the Army Compound. It is still operated by a concessioner under NPS jurisdiction.
As manager of "La Harmonia Enterprises," (a name selected "in an effort to restore and maintain peace and order in the area, ... and to promote the idea of harmony between Anglo-Americans and Mexican-Americans in the area") Mr. Cartledge was a storekeeper, rancher, farmer, and trader. To the residents-of the area, both Mexican and American, he was also friend, employer, banker, broker, postmaster, lawman, and counselor; and above all, he was honest and fair.
That the United States and Mexico have enjoyed good border relations since the end of World War I has been in large part due to men like Wayne Cartledge.
The site and structures at Castolon are significant in that they embrace all of these activities and their consequences, and are tangible evidences of this interesting and important part of our national history."