Texas: The Alamo, San Antonio

Growing up in the fifties, Davy Crockett was a hero we all revered. I think in my mind he will forever look like Fess Parker but that is another story altogether. I have always dreamed of being able to visit the Alamo and to actually be here is a dream come true. I think Al summed it up for us when he said he had goosebumps just being here looking at the very recognizable silhouette of the Alamo. 

Maybe we were lucky that we came on a slightly rainy cool January day because I have read other peoples comments about how commercial it all is and don’t get me wrong there certainly was Ripley’s Believe It or Not across the Street not to mention a new attraction Davy Crockett's Adventure or something like that but on the Alamo side of the street I found it to be reverent and I think everyone who was there felt the same thing, we were walking on hallowed ground.

Having visited the San Jacinto Monument and having learned about the fate of the men at Goliad only makes this a more poignant place to visit. We know what the outcome is going to be and yet we still root for the 189 men who held out for thirteen days again a force of 3000 Mexican soldiers. 

When the end came, the mission was overrun in under 90 minutes. 

General Santa Ana’s orders were no quarter so those men who were not dead when they breached the walls were slaughter shortly thereafter. Fourteen woman and children survived and were sent on their way with 2 silver Pecos and a blanket and told to spread the word that the rebellion would be crushed. 

It had the opposite effect that they anticipated. When the Texans heard how they had dismembered and burned the bodies of the brave defenders they were more resolved than ever to gain their independence.

What is left here at the Alamo is a lot of artifacts including two guns, a leather vest, a knife and a law book that belonged to Davy Crockett and a silver spoon that belonged to Jim Bowie. In the main hall of the Mission, there are flags from all the states where the defenders were born. We had one man Gordon C. Jennings from Conn. There were men from just about every state in the Union, even little Rhode Island. 

I was surprised at how many were Europeans from England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Wales and Denmark. There was John, the freed Slave. The age of the men ranged from 15 to 55 and of the 189, seven were doctors and six were lawyers. An interesting group of men. Col. Travis was 26, Jim Bowie was 40 and Davy Crockett was 49.

Beyond The Alamo,   there is a very beautiful garden area and also a museum in the long barracks. A video is shown in the long barracks but the last show of the day was just ending when we got there.

I can't imagine having visited San Antonio and not visited the Alamo. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of the United States.  Here are some other things that are must visit in San Antonio.