Alamo, San Antonio

Whatever you do while in San Antonio, do not forget the Alamo. On the 6th of March of 1836, after a 13-day holdout, 184 Texan defenders of the Alamo were overwhelmed by more than 1,000 Mexican troops under General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Nearly all of the defenders were killed, their bodies were stacked and burned. The battle proved more costly for the Mexican army, however, which lost an estimated 600 killed and 300 wounded. The following month, at the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Ana's army would be routed by a Texan army screaming a memorable battle cry—"Remember the Alamo!"—that would go down in history.

I'm sure that this is a common statement: Wow, the Alamo sure is a lot smaller than it looks (in pictures). Yep. And, there's no basement. The grounds surrounding the Alamo are pretty interesting, as well as the historical information. This is an educational, historical attraction that everyone who visits San Antonio really should see. It's like visiting NYC and the Statue of Liberty. Gotta do it.

The building known as "the Alamo" was originally built in 1718 as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, one of five missions founded in San Antonio to Christianize and educate resident Indians
In the early 1800s, the Spanish military stationed a cavalry unit at the former mission. The soldiers referred to the old mission as the Alamo (the Spanish word for "cottonwood") in honour of their hometown Alamo de Parras, Coahuila. The post's commander established the first recorded hospital in Texas in the Long Barrack.
San Antonio and the Alamo played a critical role in the Texas Revolution. In December 1835, Ben Milam led Texan and Tejano volunteers against Mexican troops quartered in the city. After five days of house-to-house fighting, they forced General Marín Perfecto de Cós and his soldiers to surrender. The victorious volunteers then occupied the Alamo — already fortified prior to the battle by Cós' men — and strengthened its defenses.
The siege of the Alamo by Mexican President General Antonio López de Santa Anna's army lasted just 13 days from 23rd February - Sunday 6th March , 1836 when Santa Anna arrived with a force of several thousand Mexican soldiers

Despite desperate pleas for assistance, only 32 volunteers from Gonzales arrived to help in the fight, bringing the total number up to nearly 200 defenders
After a number of skirmishes, the final assault on the Alamo commenced on March 6th when Santa Anna's army managed to scale the walls and overwhelmed the defenders.
The Alamo is well worth a visit with something of interest to most people and is just 100 metres from the Riverwalk. Its grounds are fairly extensive with numerous buildings and articles on display. It is well worth seeing the short film of the Alamo at the Imex nearby which provides a graphic sequence of the events which led up to 6th March 1836

3 more images

The Alamo sits in the heart of San Antonio, and was already a hundred years old at the time of the siege and battle. It was founded in 1718 as a Spanish mission for the purpose of Christianizing the Indians indigenous to the area. The Indians themselves built the mission under the supervision of the Spanish priests and it was named Mission "San Antonio de Valero." The church was designed without the benefit of a master engineer, the roof collapsed almost immediately, and this portion of the mission was never actually completed. In 1821, Mexico won her independence from Spain and claimed all the land that Spain owned that included Texas. In 1824, Mexico created a democratic constitution based on the United States Constitution. Mexico opened Texas for colonization, offering land very cheaply to new settlers. Many people both Americans and Europeans, relocated to the area which offered the opportunity for a fresh start. In 1833, a Mexican general, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, was elected President of Mexico, but it wasn't long before he turned his presidency into a dictatorship. He began to collect high taxes and passed harsh and unreasonable laws, making the settlers very unhappy with their new home. By 1835 many colonists began to threaten revolt. Alarmed by these threats Santa Anna sent his brother-ln-law, General Martin de Cos, to reinforce the Alamo General Cos arrived in San Antonio, quartered himself and his troops in the Alamo, and converted the old mission into a fortress. He added some 21 cannons which he placed around the walls and began to prepare for a siege and battle. Declaring martial law, he jailed people for no reason and soon the threat of revolution became a reality. Almost two months after Cos' arrival.

http://www.alamocity.com/alamo/

4 more images

We took such a tour with those red colored trolley cabins, and enjoyed it a lot. If you take such a tour through and out of San Antonio, and you would get TJ as your driver/tour guide, then a most interesting tour is promised anyway.

The Historic Tour encludes:

The Alamo
Founded in 1718, where 189 Texians and Tejanos fought against Santa Anna's army in the battle that inspired the cry Remember the Alamo.

Imax Theatre, Rivercenter Mall, Riverboat Rides
Relive the Battle of the Alamo on the IMAX Theatre's six-story screen in "Alamo...the Price of Freedom." Also showing other IMAX features including 3D. Shop in Rivercenter Mall's 130 stores and restaurants then catch a Riverboat ride in the lagoon.

Institute of Texan Cultures
Where you will find interactive displays of 27 ethnic and cultural groups that settled the state and a multimedia presentation in the Dome Theater. Hemisfair Park - Site of the 1968 world's fair and home to the 622 ft. Tower of the Americas.

Mission San José
At the Visitor Center see how the missions formed the foundation of the city and learn about South Texas' unique history and colorful culture. Learn how life was inside the mission walls.

Mission Concepción
Original frescos are still visible within the rooms of the mission. This is the oldest unrestored stone church in our nation today.

Market Square
A taste of old Mexico. Arts, crafts and food in a unique market setting with over 50 specialty shops.

San Fernando Cathedral
Founded in 1738, this is among the oldest Catholic parish churches in the southwest. Main Plaza - the heart of San Antonio dating from 1772. Plaza De Armas - the original site of the Spanish Presidio and home of the Spanish Governor when Texas was under Spanish rule.

La Villita
San Antonio's oldest surviving neighborhood dating from the 1750's is now alive with artists and craftsmen, shops and restaurants.

4 more images

We took such a tour with those red colored trolley cabins. If you take such a tour through and out of San Antonio, and you would get TJ as your driver/tour guide, then a most interesting tour is promised anyway.

The Historic Tour encludes:

The Alamo
Founded in 1718, where 189 Texians and Tejanos fought against Santa Anna's army in the battle that inspired the cry Remember the Alamo.

Imax Theatre, Rivercenter Mall, Riverboat Rides
Relive the Battle of the Alamo on the IMAX Theatre's six-story screen in "Alamo...the Price of Freedom." Also showing other IMAX features including 3D. Shop in Rivercenter Mall's 130 stores and restaurants then catch a Riverboat ride in the lagoon.

Institute of Texan Cultures
Where you will find interactive displays of 27 ethnic and cultural groups that settled the state and a multimedia presentation in the Dome Theater. Hemisfair Park - Site of the 1968 world's fair and home to the 622 ft. Tower of the Americas.

Mission San José
At the Visitor Center see how the missions formed the foundation of the city and learn about South Texas' unique history and colorful culture. Learn how life was inside the mission walls.

Mission Concepción
Original frescos are still visible within the rooms of the mission. This is the oldest unrestored stone church in our nation today.

Market Square
A taste of old Mexico. Arts, crafts and food in a unique market setting with over 50 specialty shops.

San Fernando Cathedral
Founded in 1738, this is among the oldest Catholic parish churches in the southwest. Main Plaza - the heart of San Antonio dating from 1772. Plaza De Armas - the original site of the Spanish Presidio and home of the Spanish Governor when Texas was under Spanish rule.

La Villita
San Antonio's oldest surviving neighborhood dating from the 1750's is now alive with artists and craftsmen, shops and restaurants.

The Alamo is easily accessable from anywhere close to the Riverwalk. The various rooms have historical information on the fort's history. A plaque hangs in one of the rooms listing all the people killed at the Battle of the Alamo.

1 more image

In 1724, the Mision San Antonio de Valero, now known as the Alamo, was establsihed by Franciscan friars to convert local Indians to Christianity and help maintain Spanish control over the region. For nearly 70 years, the Alamo was a thriving village and mission.

When Valero was desecularized in 1793, the lands were distributed to Indian converts from the missions, who continued to farm the lands and contributed to the origination of San Antonio.

The Alamo is most known for its role in the Texas Revolution, where in the early morning of March 6, 1836, a small band of Texans held off the army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna for thirteen days. American heroes, such as James Bowie, David Crockett and William B. Travis lost their lives in this historic battle. These sacrifices empowered the Texan Army, led by Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacito on April 21, 1836, where "Remember the Alamo" became the war cry.

Today, visitors can still explore the centuries of history this little mission holds.

"The Alamo (San Antonio de Valero Mission) is a former mission and fortress compound, now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas located at 300 Alamo Plaza. The compound, which originally comprised a sanctuary and surrounding buildings, was built by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century for the education of local Native Americans after their conversion to Christianity. After its abandonment as a mission, it was used as a fortress in the 19th century and was the scene of several military actions, including most notably the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, one of the pivotal battles between the forces of the Republic of Texas and Mexico during the Texas Revolution."
~ Wikipedia

4 more images

The Alamo is the very symbol of San Antonio; indeed of Texas freedom itself. I'm sure you know the story of the battle at the Alamo. Movies have been made about this very famous battle in 1836, which sowed the seeds of the creation of the Republic (now, State) of Texas.

The first thing I noticed about this official Texas state shrine is that it's literally in the middle of the city. Those of us who have seen the movies probably expect it to be in the middle of this vast open space. It's actually a part of the city itself, across the street from a Ripley's Museum (not what Davy Crockett was thinking, no doubt). The city grew up around the Alamo.

The main building of this former Spanish mission, the shrine, is a very reverent place, quite informative too. It has many displays & artifacts on the history of the Alamo, the battle itself, and a salute to all states and countries where men came from to fight in this battle. No picture taken is permitted inside the shrine. The rest of the Alamo property includes well-manicured gardens, other buildings you may be interested in, and a gift shop. The day I visited, they had displays of the weaponry and music of the times on the Alamo grounds. Walk around the grounds, take as much or as little time as you'd like. You can buy a set of headphones and plug into a narrated tour too.

Admission is free, and it's open everyday but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Alamo is usually on of the first stops on anyone's visit to San Antonio. It has a special place in the hearts of most Americans and, especially, Texans.

I must confess that I really had no idea of the history behind the Alamo and though I had planned on reading up on it before I went to Texas I never got around to it. So I was glad that we ran across a park ranger giving a talk about what had actually happened leading up to, during and after March 6, 1836 when the Alamo fell to the Mexican troops led by Santa Ana.

More to come