One of the first places anyone who visits San Antonio goes to is the Alamo. We were not any different.
What remains of "The Alamo" is actually the portion of the mission San Antonio de Valero where the fierce battle against mexican troops ended.
The foundation for the mission was laid in 1744. When completed it was home to Spanish missionaries and their Indian converts. It was the first of five Spanish missions in the San Antonio area.
The mission survived through changes in governments and multiple uses. Unfortunately what remains today is very little of what the original compound was made up of.
This is a rendering of what the Alamo mission compound looked like at the time of the March 1836 battle. During that bloody battle many buildings in the Alamo mission compound were damaged, burnt or pockmarked by heavy cannon fire. Before he marched east in pursuit of Houston’s small army, Santa Anna assigned Colonel Juan José Andrade and his troops the task of repairing and occupying the Alamo. The Mexican Army maintained control of San Antonio until May 1836. That month the Mexican garrison received orders to demolish the Alamo before they withdrew. They knocked down some of the outer walls of the compound, including the log wall known as Crockett's Palisade, so it could not be easily refortified by the Texians.
Knocking down those walls must have been quite a job. This is one of the original ones. Look how thick it is.
The Alamo went through many changes depending upon who was occupying the facility. Sometimes repairs were done, other times things were torn down. Hard to believe but much of its destruction was done in the late 1800's when parts were demolished to make way for a grand new plaza and multi-story new stone buildings. Luckily in the early 1900's preservationists stepped in and saved the remains.
This wonderful man wandered around and around the Alamo grounds. I wondered if there were special memories of his ancestors in this place.
After leaving the Alamo we spent time walking around downtown enjoying some of the beautiful old architecture.
This ornate triangular building is now the Emily Morgan Hotel. It was built in 1924 as a Medical Arts Building. It was later an office building before being converted to the Hotel in 1984.
There are so many treasures tucked among the high rises.
The more I looked up the more embellished buildings I found.
Some were more elaborate than others.
Some made me smile. (Notice the Texas Lone Star on the light fixture.)
This neighborhood is proud of its heritage and shares photos of the past.
San Antonio is a lovely city. I especially like that the hard edges of the buildings are softened often by the street trees.
“There are only four unique cities in America: Boston, New Orleans, San Francisco and San Antonio.”
Mark Twain. About San Antonio I agree..................determination later on the other 3.