Disclaimer: This historical site means alot to David, so he will be writing today’s post: As our previous blog post was on the subject of Missions, we’d be amiss not to mention Mission San Antonio de Valero (know today as The Alamo) - located right in the heart of San Antonio. So without further ado…. As a kid growing up in the 70's, I did not have the opportunity to watch much television. There were several reasons, but the primary reasons were because we didn’t have cable and also because my parents felt there were more important things to do in life other than watch TV. However, I was allowed to watch a few movies and shows from time to time. My favorite day to watch TV was on Saturday, but not for the Saturday morning cartoons! Instead, I preferred to watch TBS in the afternoon. At that time, Old West movies and various WWII movies were always being played. One of my favorite movies was the 1960 version of The Alamo starring John Wayne as Davy Crockett. I absolutely LOVED that movie and after watching it multiple times, I also fell in love with the history of The Alamo. I told myself that one day I would go visit The Alamo and that I would walk on the same ground where the battle took place. However, as with many childhood dreams, I knew that statement was more of a wish instead of a serious consideration in making it happen.
Fast forward 40 years- We are going to begin our travels and have decided that San Antonio will be our first stop. I knew my wish of seeing The Alamo in person was about to become a reality. For this history nut- this was a dream come true!
Travel tidbit: One thing that we have learned during previous travels is to always book a guided tour when visiting different places. The guides can usually get you into places you can't go by yourself and they always have stories to share that you would not know otherwise. For our trip to The Alamo it was no different. I have spent a lifetime reading and studying everything I could about The Alamo, but we still booked a guided tour. It was worth every penny! Also, please remember that if you do book a guided tour anywhere- please tip the guide at the end! They really pour themselves into giving you a better experience- be kind and do unto others! I was astonished to see so few people giving our guide a tip.
Anyway- we had a great time on our tour. First of all, we did not have to wait in the LONG lines of people who wanted to go in by themselves. In fact, when it was time for our scheduled tour the people in the long lines had to wait for us to go. Basically we got to skip the long line AND take cuts to the front of the line. Secondly, the guide showed us the true dimensions of the fort by walking us around the barracks and outside of the church. She also explained the significance of several of the monuments that are in the courtyard. Many of these same monuments were the ones people were bypassing in their haste. She was able to share so many of the fascinating facts and small details that we appreciate so much. Lastly, we were able to gain access to the sacrament room of the church that was closed to the public. We were able to see some of the original tile work that is being uncovered by archeologists.
The sacrament room is the same room where several women and children hid during the battle. I can only imagine the pain and fear that they went through seeing the last of the defenders go down inside of the church. Unfortunately, we will never know for sure because Santa Anna provided no quarter and burned all the bodies after the battle as a warning to other Americans to not fight against him. Even though The Alamo tragically fell, the defenders gave Sam Houston and the Army of Texas time to pull together and fight Santa Anna. The act of no quarter and the burning of the bodies by Santa Anna galvanized our forces. Shouts of “REMEMBER THE ALAMO!” rang out during the battle against and the Texas Army routed Santa Anna's army a few weeks later. Texas won its independence thanks in part to the defenders of The Alamo!
Let me close by saying the park service does not allow pictures inside the church due to how old the stone is inside. The walls are the original blocks that have stood on that ground for centuries. It is a humbling experience to stand where so many Americans lost their lives. Personally, this experience was everything I hoped it would be, and I am beyond grateful to my wife for putting up with all my historical adventures. I was honored to be able to visit The Alamo. It was a day I will never forget.
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