San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
… Truth is, its history about more than one battle
On Sept. 22, the Texas Historical Commission denied the permit to repair and relocate the Cenotaph. The relocation was necessary to recapture the historic mission footprint so the space could serve as an outdoor museum.
It would have also revealed 300 years of history to include all of the stories associated with one of our city’s most iconic landmarks.
That’s an important point: all of the stories.
While the Battle of 1836 is certainly a centerpiece of the Alamo’s history, there are so many other critical cultural narratives that deserve attention — from the indigenous people’s settling of the area to the Spanish priests’ introduction of Christianity to Texas.
Those broader stories are precisely the foundation of the Alamo Plan’s vision and guiding principles, which were created by the Alamo Citizens Advisory Committee and adopted by the city of San Antonio and the Texas General Land Office.
Hundreds of public meetings were held to review and collect input into this plan. A unanimous vote was taken by the Alamo Citizen’s Advisory Committee to move this effort forward with what can only be called the most inclusive, comprehensive and thoughtful redevelopment plan for one of the most historical sites in the world.
The Alamo area also represents our establishment as a city. The post-battle development around the site played a key role in the urbanization of San Antonio.
The Alamo Master Plan would restore the church and long barrack, delineate the mission footprint, recapture the plaza, create a sense of arrival and connectivity, and showcase a world-class visitors center and museum.
It’s a shame that some leaders could not see the bigger picture. This is a plan that would move the Cenotaph approximately 500 feet from its original location — still within the battlefield — to provide visitors an unobstructed view of the Alamo.
Let’s not forget when Italian sculptor Pompeo Coppini gifted the marble statue to San Antonio, it was so massive that city leaders and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas had no idea where to place it without hindering access to and blocking the view of the Alamo.
The bottom line is there was no real science or historical significance associated with its original placement. It stands where it is today because it fit — albeit awkwardly. It is also not a tomb for the defenders or a marker of where defenders’ blood was shed, nor was it commissioned with true historic grounding.
It is, however, a monument meant to pay homage to the defenders of the Alamo that was ready to be restored and preserved for future visitors to view and understand within the context of the Alamo area. The new location would provide the reverence it deserves without interfering with the Alamo viewshed.
While the denial places several of the plan elements at risk, the Alamo Trust, Texas General Land Office and the city of San Antonio remain committed to adhering to the vision and guiding principles.
We are not ready to scrap five years of intense and thoughtful conversations, expert design and, most importantly community input. We will continue to work on a plan that moves this world-class project forward that is truly transformational for tourists and locals.