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A32 FEATURE
Saturday 21 OctOber 2017
New Battle of the Alamo is brewing over Texas shrine revamp

By WILL WEISSERT with a Philadelphia-based
Associated Press historic preservation and
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Re- architecture firm with the
member the Alamo? A goal of presenting the
new Texas battle is brewing Alamo’s full history. The
over how best to do so. site’s public space would
Land Commissioner expand from around two
George P. Bush is oversee- acres to 9.5 acres, though
ing a 7-year revamp of the public outcry already halt-
shrine where 189 Texas in- ed a proposal to build glass
dependence fighters were walls around the entire
killed by Mexican Gen. area. Santa Anna ordered
Santa Anna’s troops in the original walls around
1836. The site’s size would the Alamo torn down after
quadruple after excava- the battle, but remnants
tion and restoration of his- remain underground and
torical structures, the clos- plans are to excavate and
ing of nearby streets and possibly place them under
the building of a more than glass for visitors to view.
100,000-square foot muse- Pop icon Phil Collins, who
um to house artifacts and spent decades collecting
guide visitors through the In this Feb. 23, 2016, file photo, guests visit the grounds of the Alamo in San Antonio. Alamo artifacts, has begun
Alamo’s history. Associated Press donating most of them to
The project has raised the “The Alamo’s personal.” — Texans of Hispanic de- outnumbered by Mexican Texas, including a leather
ire of some conservatives, The criticism from fellow Re- scent — played prominent soldiers, the defenders held pouch belonging to slain
who worry that the Battle of publicans has put the lat- roles during the Battle of out during a 13-day siege defender Davey Crock-
the Alamo will be sanitized est political star of the Bush the Alamo. They included before being overrun on ett, as well as the knife of
by “political correctness” family on the defensive. Gregorio Esparza, who was March 6, 1836. Their bravery Jim Bowie, namesake of
at a time when Confeder- The 41-year-old son of for- given the chance to flee became a rallying cry and today’s fixed blade Bowie
ate monuments are being mer Florida governor and beforehand but stayed Texas won independence knife. The renovation proj-
removed across the coun- presidential candidate Jeb and was killed in battle. the following month, then ect calls for the artifacts
try. Even though the Alamo and Mexican-born mother Still, during the Cenotaph became part of the United to be displayed in the new
battle was well before the Columba, Bush has used protest, one demonstrator States nine years later. museum. Jerry Patterson, a
Civil War, some of the par- funds for his re-election bid bellowed: “Vote George P. Supporters of the Alamo re- Republican who was Bush’s
ticipants were slaveholders. next year on a website and Santa Anna Bush out of of- vamp emphasize that there predecessor as land com-
A flashpoint has been the radio ads defending he res- fice” to applause. is good reason to upgrade missioner, said the issue of
fate of the Cenotaph, a 60- toration. “My focus isn’t on During the war of inde- the site visited by 2.5-plus slave owners among the
foot (18.29-meter) granite the politics, it’s on preserv- pendence from Mexico, million people a year. The Alamo independence
monument near the Alamo ing the Alamo,” Bush said Texas forces occupied the existing shrine is small and fighters is sure to be raised.
completed in 1940 and en- via email. “I’m focused on Alamo, which had been offers relatively little to see. Alamo commander William
graved with the names of telling the story of the he- founded by Spaniards as Nearby is what some have Travis owned slaves and
those killed during the bat- roic battle for freedom — a Franciscan mission in called a “carnival” atmo- Bowie, his co-commander,
tle. The city of San Antonio proudly, purposefully and 1718 but was relocated to sphere, with Ripley’s Believe traded them.”History’s full
wants to move it to a site better than ever before.” its current spot, now in in It or Not!, and other build- of warts,” Patterson said.
somewhat farther away. Bush’s critics say his Hispan- the heart of San Antonio, ings that are being bought “There are no men, icons of
But critics fear the Ceno- ic heritage isn’t an issue, America’s seventh-largest up in the renovation. the past, that will stand up
taph will suffer the fate of noting that many Tejanos city, in 1724. Though vastly Bush’s office is working to modern scrutiny.”
some Confederate monu- San Antonio has pledged
ments and be banished. $38 million for the revamp
Hundreds of protesters and the Texas Legislature
showed up at the Alamo has approved $106.5 mil-
last weekend, some wear- lion since 2015. The proj-
ing colonial costumes ect’s total cost could reach
and holding signs reading $450 million, though much
“Leave the Alamo Alone.” of that may be raised pri-
The ruling Republican Party vately. State contracts
of Texas was so concerned suggest Bush’s office paid
that its executive commit- nearly $4.9 million on an
tee voted 57-1 in Septem- Alamo renovation master
ber to urge Bush to keep plan, but Bush wouldn’t
the focus of the overhaul say exactly how much has
on the battle itself and call- been spent so far.
ing for more transparency Exactly what the new Al-
in how the effort is funded. amo will look like also isn’t
“This isn’t just some memory clear. Artists’ renderings
that’s popular in movies, were released previously,
these were living, breath- but Bush’s office says those
ing people,” said Lee Spen- weren’t official. Construc-
cer White, a descendant of tion hasn’t started but is
Gordon C. Jennings, who In this Feb. 24, 2016, file photo, a member of the San Antonio Living History Association stands on scheduled to finish by 2024,
at 56 was the oldest de- the grounds on the Alamo as he waits to take part in a reenactment to deliver William B. Travis’ when the Alamo turns 300
fender killed at the Alamo. “Victory or Death” letter, in San Antonio. Associated Press at its current location.q