Remember, and Visit, the Alamo!
When visiting the city of San Antonio, Texas, visiting the infamous site of the Alamo is a must-see.
In fact, the Alamo is said to be the most-visited historical attraction in the state of Texas, serving as a symbol of Texas’ resiliency, independence and determination. While the Alamo has often been talked about and portrayed in popular culture through books and movies, many are unaware of the story of this symbolic mission and how it came to be remembered throughout the generations.
The Alamo was originally known as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, built in 1718 along the San Antonio River by Spanish settlers. For the first 70 some years of the missions existence, it served as a home to missionaries and Native American people who were living in the area before the Spanish had arrived that converted to their faith. In 1793, the five missions (including Mission San Antonio de Valero) that the Spanish had built in the San Antonio area were secularized. Starting in the early 1800s, Spanish military troops called the Mission San Antonio de Valero home and began referring to it as “El Alamo,” for the cottonwood trees surrounding the mission.
The Alamo was controlled by Spanish military through the 1820s, as Mexico gained their independence from Spain. In 1821, 300 U.S. citizens were permitted to move into Texas and began to grow in number, turning into what would be a waging war.
In 1835, a group of U.S. citizen Texan volunteers took control of the Alamo, and with it, San Antonio as Texans began to push back in pursuit of independence from Mexico. No more than 200 Texans, including the renowned Davy Crockett, went up against Mexican troops beginning on February 23, 1836. The Mexican troops consisted of an estimated 1,800 to 6,000 men. Despite the significant outnumbering by the Mexican troops, the brave group of Texans held control of the fort for 13 days. On March 6th, Mexican troops took control of the Alamo.
However, Mexican forces would only control the fort for two short months before being overthrown by Texans in April of 1836 outside of where Houston is now located. The Texans shouted, “Remember the Alamo,” as they defeated Mexican forces. After Mexico’s defeat, the troops withdrew from the Alamo in May of that year.
In 1845, Texas officially became a U.S. state. Texas purchased the land of the Alamo in 1883 to remember this historic event in Texas, and U.S., history. The Alamo serves as a great reminder of the heroism of this country’s citizens who fought for independence and declared victory even after unfavorable odds. Now, visitors can tour this historic site throughout the year. Click here for more information on touring the Alamo.
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