Fenced off area in front of the Alamo

[cactusjack]

Why is the small grass area in front of the Alamo fenced off?

[Greg C.]

As a memorial for those that have died there. They can't rope off the whole area, so they do it to that area instead.

[cactusjack]

Thanks. I assumed it was as such, I just wasn't sure.

[docal]

Wasn't there a cemetary inside the walls, perhaps near the west wall, during the siege? I seem to remember an illustration from "Texian Iliad" that showed one.

[Greg C.]

Al, I dont know if that has ever been proven although I do remember it from that book.

[neferetus]

The grassy plot in front of the church is supposed to be the Campo Santo. Back in the Nineties, after some Indian group protested that people were walking on it, it was chained off.

The church itself has been chained off to prevent vandalism.

[Cole_blooded]

Hey there Neff,ya know you seem like you could work at the Alamo in some sort of fashion! ;D You could lead special guests around the Alamo grounds and tell some history and tall tales, like the one about Davy the big Kahuna! ;D

TED COLE....aka....Cole_blooded

[neferetus]

A lot of things are set for the Alamo in the near future, thanks to the proposed $60,000,000 facelift. One change will be in making the Alamo arcade---the one running south off of the baptistry---the official entrance to the Alamo. The present DRT Library will be converted into a small theater where a historical film on the Alamo will be shown to guests before they actually enter the shrine. A larger DRT Library will be built east of the chapel.

[Greg C.]

There should be a theatre with a better film which the public can see for free. When we went there, there was a TV in a small room that showed a 15 minute film, which didnt do the battle any justice at all.

[seguin]

60 mill. $ should make for a nice facelift. Sounds great. Next step could be restoring the south wall and the palisade. That would be really something!
I thought the church was the official entrance but it´s not?

[neferetus]

seguin said:

I thought the church was the official entrance but it´s not?

At present, it is. The visitor enters the front door of the chapel and then exits a side door in the north transept. Directly across from the north transept is the entrance to the Alamo Museum/Giftshop, so that the visitor is automatically directed there. proceeding out the north door of the giftshop, the visitor then enters the cavalry courtyard, once the cattle pen for the Alamo garrison. Here artillery pieces are on display and there is a docent podium for talks on the Alamo history. To the left (west) is the north end of the Long Barrack. You will want to pass through the convent yard gate to the south though in order to enter the Long Barrack Museum itself.

[Greg C.]

neferetus said:

seguin said:

I thought the church was the official entrance but it´s not?

At present, it is. The visitor enters the front door of the chapel and then exits a side door in the north transept. Directly across from the north transept is the entrance to the Alamo Museum/Giftshop, so that the visitor is automatically directed there. proceeding out the north door of the giftshop, the visitor then enters the cavalry courtyard, once the cattle pen for the Alamo garrison. Here artillery pieces are on display and there is a docent podium for talks on the Alamo history. To the left (west) is the north end of the Long Barrack. You will want to pass through the convent yard gate to the south though in order to enter the Long Barrack Museum itself.

So Nef how did the other night at County Line go?

[seguin]

neferetus said:

seguin said:

I thought the church was the official entrance but it´s not?

At present, it is. The visitor enters the front door of the chapel and then exits a side door in the north transept. Directly across from the north transept is the entrance to the Alamo Museum/Giftshop, so that the visitor is automatically directed there. proceeding out the north door of the giftshop, the visitor then enters the cavalry courtyard, once the cattle pen for the Alamo garrison. Here artillery pieces are on display and there is a docent podium for talks on the Alamo history. To the left (west) is the north end of the Long Barrack. You will want to pass through the convent yard gate to the south though in order to enter the Long Barrack Museum itself.

I see! So I got the entrance right. - Btw, usually the gift shop is the last stop before you leave a sight, but of course that depends on the physical conditions of the place and I guess you can always wait with your gift shopping ´till after you´ve seen the Long Barrack Museum so you don´t have to carry your purchases around while you´re sighseeing...

[neferetus]

admin said:

So Nef how did the other night at County Line go?

We ended up going to The Texas Land & Cattle Company, instead. It was pretty good steak. County Line, next time.

[powderkeg]

Is the $60M facelift only for the chapel itself? Will the pink stuff disappear?

[Greg C.]

powderkeg said:

Is the $60M facelift only for the chapel itself? Will the pink stuff disappear?

The Pink Stuff?

[powderkeg]

I was talking about the substance that was applied to ward off the decay of the stone from moisture. I'm sure it won't go away, but the first time I saw the Alamo, the stone was still the original color and I wish it still could be.

Naturally, I'm all for preserving the building; I just wish it could be done in a less-obvious manner.

[neferetus]

Powderkeg, back in September, 2001, I visited the Alamo, after a 14 year hiatus and they had just finished weatherproofing the Alamo church. The weatherproofing was a pale pink, sort of the color of bubblegum card gum and was most prominently noticable behind the hump.

Back in 1973, when I first visited the Alamo, the patina of the limestone was sort of a rusty orange.


By 2001, the Alamo looked like this.

[neferetus]

Here's a photo of the 2001 weatherproofing project.

[RebAl]

Back in 1973, when I first visited the Alamo, the patina of the limestone was sort of a rusty orange.

I think I preferred it the rusty orange color it looked more time worn and old.