Alamo markers #5

This is on the front door of the Shrine. There are some policies visitors are advised of on a sign inside the door, it's right in front of you as you enter. It says no pictures, drinks or food as well as no photography. I am amazed at how many people will take a picture of the sign. In addition, how many will talk on their cell phone, touch the walls (which we tell people not to do when entering) and simply just yak it up. Touching the old limestone causes damage, sometimes unseen. I have witnessed people break part of the wall off, others try to take a piece with them and another recently put his foot on the corner of a pillar and broke off a chunk about the size of a baseball.

Respect the Alamo.

Graham updated

He's out of the hospital and doing ok.

Alamo Markers #4

Freemasons in Texas

These two plaques are the south wall of the Long Barrack.
The Alamo was the site of the first Masonic Lodge in West Texas, for a very short time.
The leaders of the garrison were Masons however, there is little actual documentation to that.
Note the dates on the first plaque.
More info on that here. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era

There's a theory out there that Sam Houston spared Santa Anna's life after he was captured at the Battle of San Jacinto. (About the battle here. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qes04 )

It is said that since they were both Masons, General Santa Anna was spared. I don't buy it. Too many other great reasons for Houston not to execute him.

Alamo Marker's #3

Property line marker, one of many around the grounds. Look outside the walls.

These are on the gift shop, which was built as a museum, in the 1930s. My friend, Jim Peterson, who grew up in San Antonio, told me he remembers hearing this bell tolled as a child. 

These informational markers are throughout the grounds, inside and out.

This marks the irrigation ditch (acequia) that runs behind the church. It ran from the headwaters of the San Antonio river and into the mission, so it's part of what was built here in the 1700s. Can you spot the mistake in the plaque? This is placed in the concrete of the handrails of the bridges.

Graham Lelliott

Graham is one of my long-time friends and students. He's one of my three most senior black belts. He recently had a heart attack but he's doing ok. Some stents were put in and he says he's feeling alright. We both missed the Master's Hall of Fame induction this last weekend. Some guys will do anything to avoid having to pick me up at LAX.
https://www.facebook.com/graham.lelliott.7

Alamo Markers #2 (updated)

This is a kind of "Where's Waldo" at The Alamo. There are three of these Texas-shaped tiles that I know of. I assume they were placed in the 1930s when the WPA worked on the complex.

The below is next to the fountain in the courtyard by the Annex building.

This is one the annex building, which was the library of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.Built in the 1950s and used by them until the state moved them out in 2015. Today it is a museum and houses rotating exhibits. We had an exhibit on Jim Bowie, then one called Fortress Alamo. Currently, in 2019, it houses many of the artifacts we moved from the Long Barrack while it is undergoing an archaeological dig.

Markers at The Alamo

I took pictures of plaques and markers on the Alamo grounds and am posting for your enjoyment. Some I know the story of, others I don't or they are self-explanatory. I hope you like it.

The three below are in what we call the "Support" area, in the back of the complex. 

The garden or arbor area was built in the 1930s as part of President Roosevelt's Works project, the WPA. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/works-progress-administration

The one below obviously was not done in the 30s.

You can see this if you look through the gate back near the Women's restroom. The Alamo always has a resident cat. Today, she is a calico named Bella. The story is that there was a cat present at the battle and it was shot by a Mexican soldier, who said "It was an American cat". Possibly apocraphal.