For
all the hype
surrounding this building, it's a lot smaller than
you'd expect -- about the size of a small supermarket.
Still, this simple stone building is perhaps the most
important cultural and historic site in the state
of Texas. This is what's left of the mission where
Texas settlers held out against the Mexican Army before
being massacred in 1836 during the Texas Revolution.
It is actually an Army that gave the mission its common
name. Spanish soldiers from San Jose y Santiago del
Alamo Parras were stationed here, giving it the name
"Alamo." The destruction during the siege has reduced
the mission to just a couple of buildings, but the
original boundaries of the settlement are evident
in paving stones that can be traced through the plaza
and the city streets. Inside, no photography is permitted
because the building is treated as a shrine to those
who fought and died here. After changing hands from
the Catholic Church to the United States Army to the
State of Texas, it now belongs to the Daughters of
the Republic of Texas, who administer it with all
the zeal the first missionaries did. Artifacts of
that era are on display, and though entry is free,
a donation is appreciated.
- An
exact "stone-for-stone" replica of the
Alamo exists in Houston,
Texas. It is at the corporate
campus of the Kwik Kopy office services chain. The
building is used for company meetings.
- In
February, 2000 workers trying to figure out where
to put a new display case noticed a splotch of color
on one wall of the sacristy. Upon further investigation
they discovered frescoes that were painted in the
1700's and lost for 300 years. They were preserved
by a lime-based paint the U.S. Army put on the walls
during its occupation in the 1850's. It took seven
weeks to restore the artwork which consists of patterns
of flowers, fruits, and symbols. No one knows for
sure who created the Moorish paintings, but it is
suspected that friars taught indians how to paint
them in a style used in Mexico City from 1525.
- February,
2001 - The Daughters of the Republic of Texas announce
a major renovation and expansion of The Alamo. It
is the first major project in 30 years and will
include the construction of an ampitheater, an outdoor
classroom, and the renovation of the nearby Gallagher
Building for use as offices
- 8
May, 2003 - The city is considering a proposal to
limit the height of buildings around San Antonio's
historic Alamo. The San Antonio Express-News reports
the idea is to keep tall buildings from appearing
in tourist photographs of the building taken head-on.
There is already an historic skyscraper to the left
of the Alamo, and a number of billboards and other
signs that mar the area.
- The
earliest reports of ghosts at this location was
when the Mexican general Santa Ana ordered the mission
destroyed. The spirits of the monks who died there
are said to have reached out of the walls and threatened
his troops. To this day there are occasional sightings
of spirits and fantastic creatures coming out of
the walls.
- There
is also a legend of six ghosts that defended the
Alamo from destruction, one taking the form of a
colossus with fireballs in each hand. A depiction
of this event is carved into the monument on the
other side of the Alamo plaza.
- Other
spirits have been reported in the plaza in front
of the Alamo. It is believed this is because so
many people died, were buried, or burned in this
location. Almost 1,000 documented during Spanish
rule. Possibly thousands more since.
- The
ghost of a woman who was killed by lightning outside
the Alamo is sometimes seen walking across the plaza.
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