The Alamo San Antonio, TX

[TerryC]

Recently, I visited the Alamo. And I actually stood in the place where John Wayne and Richard Widmark died.


Entry to the Alamo is FREE but the parking nearby costs $18 for six hours! I parked free because I searched the parking lot and found someone else's parking ticket.


I believe this to be the oldest building on the site.


The Alamo is still ..... a church..... so no pictures of the main building. Here is a cannon and firearms used here.


It is a large area with some new attractions since I last visited three years ago.


In the movie, Travis drew a line in the sand and those that would stay had to cross over. Well, it didn't happen that way. He mustered the men in this amphitheater because the concession stand is behind and they could buy a Coke.
(Of course the electric fan was added more recently.)

I've been to the Alamo three times. It is always nice to visit. TTC

 

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[tamrock]

I like that town, especially the riverwalk.

 

[Rick K]

Funny about the Alamo.

I grew up in San Antonio in the 1950’s. In 1955, Disney released their movie - “Davey Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier”. It had its Premier at the Majestic Theater on Houston Street in San Antonio. I know, because, age 8, I was there. Fess Parker and Buddy Epson appeared on stage. Cool. I bought a coonskin cap with my allowance savings.

A couple of years thereafter, I went with my dad, who grew up in San Antonio and thereabouts, to the Alamo. I remember him being a bit shocked - saying, “when I came here as a kid, it was all about Travis and Bowie, now it’s all about this Davey Crockett guy!

Fast forward to 2018. I went to the Alamo in April this year. Totally changed. Now the NPS runs it. Excellent displays telling the whole story of the native Americans, Spanish expansion north from Mexico, foundation of the missions in San Antonio, of which the Alamo was one, the Mexican Revolution - gaining independence from Spain, the Anglo settlement under Stephen Austin and others, then the tensions around slavery, freedom of conscience for Protestant Anglo settlers, Santa Ana’s overthrow of the democratic government of Mexico and - with all that, the resulting revolution in Texas.

Much more factual description of a major event in US history - leading to the Mexican War in 1845.

Fairy tales are for kids - those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it.

The heroic defenders of the Alamo, many of them Hispanic Texans - were not villains - but neither were the brave “campesinos” who formed the rank and file of the Mexican army.

Interesting side note. The light infantry of the Mexican army - the Cazadores - were armed with British Baker rifles - sold surplus to Mexico after the Napoleanic wars. Of course many of the Texans had their hunting rifles as well. Rifle vs. rifle.

P.S. Wouldn’t it be fun to find a Baker Rifle in a shop in Mexico City and be able to trace it’s provenience to the Battle of the Alamo? Impossible of course, but $$$!

 

[TerryC]

I like that town, especially the riverwalk.

You're not the first to tell of the Riverwalk. I'm sure there are many things one must see in San Antone. Tnx. TTC

 

[GB1]

I love the Alamo i am related to three people that fought. Two brothers and their father

 

[TerryC]

Tnx, Rick, for the added depth. Here are more pics:

Outside of the church.


Some more of the grounds.
TTC

 

[tamrock]

You're not the first to tell of the Riverwalk. I'm sure there are many things one must see in San Antone. Tnx. TTC

It's for sure a romantic place, if you're lucky enough to have a sweetheart to share it with.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Cool pics and story. Thank you, Terry.

 

[TerryC]

Cool pics and story. Thank you, Terry.

I think my next adventure will be to a petroglyph site I passed in New Mexico. It reportedly has 65,000 glyphs in a mile long stretch of volcanic rock! Stay tuned. (Still planning on video taping all of Boron for you) TTC

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing!