Alamo Brave

Visiting The Alamo in July 2013 on our site visit

One story I heard about The Alamo while on our site visit to San Antonio was told by the lady from the San Antonio Visitors Bureau who was showing Judy and I around the city. She said the “best” question she was ever asked about The Alamo by a visitor was, “Why did they build The Alamo downtown?”

Clearly someone who didn’t know Texas history.

But other than the famous battle cry, “Remember the Alamo” or Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, how many of us really know the story behind the historic landmark?

Alamo in 1858

AHP members who attend the “Tally-Ho at the Alamo” Seminar in June will have a front row seat to view and explore the Mission San Antonio De Valero that made history on the morning of March 6, 1836. On that date at 5 a.m., General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna started the final attack on The Alamo, and by 6:30 a.m. the battle was over.

The story of The Alamo is not about a fallen or failed mission. It’s a story of bravery and patriotism in the face of a sure defeat for the cause of freedom. The best way to discover the backstory is to tour The Alamo.

If you can’t make the guided tour of The Alamo on Thursday, there are other options for experiencing its significance in Texas and American history.

Many visitors see The Alamo only as the old Spanish church that appears on postcards, however the historic Alamo is so much more. Join fellow AHP members on Thursday morning, June 18, for the Official Alamo Battlefield Tour to discover the rest of the story.

This photo depicts The Alamo on the day of the final attack.

Guided by Alamo History Interpreters, the Official Alamo Battlefield Tour traces the outline of the original fort, through current day Alamo Plaza, as it was at the time of the famous battle in 1836. Attendees will visit the area of the north wall where Colonel Travis spent his final moments. You will stand in the spot at the wooden palisade where David Crockett fought so valiantly. This one-hour guided walking tour gives a detailed, in-depth history of the events at the Alamo complex. As a bonus, the battlefield tour also includes a complimentary audio tour (a $7 value) which uses a hand held audio player to provide a rich, multimedia experience as you walk through the Alamo complex, including the two historic buildings, the Shrine and Long Barrack.

The AHP group rate for the Alamo Battlefield Tour is $12 per person. Reservations are required and due by June 1. A sign-up sheet will be included on the online seminar registration form. Attendees taking the tour will meet in front of The Alamo near the tour sign at 10:15 a.m.

The movie, The Alamo: The Price of Freedom, plays at the IMAX theater located in the Riverwalk Mall, mere steps from the Menger Hotel. Watching the movie first is the best way to appreciate the bravery of the men and women who defended the Alamo.

Located next door to The Menger Hotel, The Alamo is open to the public at no charge daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Attendees can take a few minutes or spend an hour touring the exhibits and grounds on their own. For more information about The Alamo, visit http://www.thealamo.org/

If you are curious about how The Alamo got its name, here is an article by Kevin R. Young and Randell Tarin.

http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/adp/history/mission_period/valero/valeroname.html

And, for a little AHP Alamo history - While AHP has never held its annual seminar in San Antonio until 2015, its Board of Directors met at The Menger Hotel back in the early 80s and again in October 2013. You might recognize some of these young men and women standing in front of The Alamo on that first visit. (l–r) Warren Wilson, Tracy Gantz, Dean Hoffman. Chris Brune. Kathy Mezick, Thom Mezick, and Jim Jennings.

If you are planning to attend AHP’s Tally-Ho at The Alamo Seminar, remember The Alamo and be sure to learn why it exists in “downtown” San Antonio, Texas.

Tally-Ho,

Chris

P. S. A special thanks to Jim Jennings for sending the early photos and articles of The Alamo and its history.


SIDEBAR

Phil Collins Donates Alamo Treasures to Texas

In 2014, English rock star Phil Collins, a dedicated Alamo history buff, donated his collection of Alamo Battle and Texas Revolution artifacts to the State of Texas. Collins featured his collection in his 2012 book, "The Alamo and Beyond." The rare artifacts include Jim Bowie's knife, a rifle owned by Davy Crockett, letters written by William B. Travis, and other important artifacts and documents. Many items that arrived in San Antonio last October returned to the cradle of Texas liberty for the first time since the legendary defeat of Texian forces by Mexican troops under Santa Anna in 1836.

Due to the size of the collection, the proper facilities may not yet exist at the Alamo to properly store and exhibit the items. Efforts are underway to build a permanent home for the Collins Collection.