Before Becoming a Fortress, The Alamo Was a Spanish Mission With a Different Name

The Iconic Mission That Changed Texas Forever

Every year, more than 2.5 million people visit the Alamo, which has stood in San Antonio since May 1, 1718. This limestone fortress witnessed not just the famous 13-day siege of 1836, but centuries of remarkable changes. Here some interesting facts you probably didn’t know about this Texas icon.

The Story Behind the Name

Spanish missionaries established Mission San Antonio de Valero (second of the five missions established in the area). Mexican cavalry troops from San José y Santiago del Álamo gave the mission its famous nickname in 1803, inspired by the cottonwood trees (“álamo” in Spanish) that surrounded the 3-acre compound.

The limestone chapel we see today was just one part of a bigger missionary complex. Most people don’t know that the original main entrance faced south through a gate that was torn down in the late 1800s during city construction.

Life After the Battle

After the 1836 battle, the Alamo was briefly used by Texian and Mexican forces as a military outpost. The U.S. Army added the distinctive curved top (called a parapet) in the 1850s, which we still see today.

People used the building as a fire station, a produce market with wooden stalls along the walls, and even a home. Many visitors broke off pieces of limestone as souvenirs until the Daughters of the Republic of Texas stepped in to save it in 1905.

Secret Underground Passages

Spanish engineers built a network of tunnels in 1720 to bring water from the San Antonio River to the mission. Recent archaeological digs under the Alamo and nearby areas reveal fragments of the tunnels containing amazing treasures like a Spanish sword from 1743 and old Spanish coins from 1734.

While excavations in front of the Alamo have uncovered artifacts such as Native American pottery and animal bones, in 2021, scientists found three hidden rooms under the Long Barrack (each about 15 by 20 feet in size) using special radar technology.

The Peacock Guards

The Alamo was managed by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas from 1905 to 2015. But it was Hugo Grenet who introduced peacocks (multiplied over the years, eventually forming a flock of 32 birds) in the garden.

Visitors claim French peacocks trot the greens, screeching loudly at nighttime intruders. During mating season, the male peacocks spread their impressive tail feathers in a fascinating display, making for a good show.

A Hidden Cemetery

The Alamo’s campo santo (holy field) was a burial ground for over 1,000 Spanish colonists and Native Americans from 1724 to 1793.

Today, this cemetery lies under Alamo Plaza. In 2016, workers found 48 burial sites, including a Spanish soldier still wearing his uniform buttons.

Special city rules now require archaeologists to supervise any digging in this area, as ground penetrating radar shows hundreds more graves might be hidden below.

The Made-Up Line Story

The famous tale of Colonel William Travis drawing a line in the sand first appeared in the Texas Almanac in 1873. Writer William Zuber claimed he heard it from Louis Rose, supposedly the only defender who chose to leave.

None of the letters from 1836, including Travis’s own writing and Mexican army reports, mention this dramatic moment. Historians now believe this story was created to inspire Texans during the state’s post-Civil War era.

The Native American Builders

Native Americans from the Coahuiltecan tribes (including Mission San José and Mission San Juan Capistrano) built the Alamo in limestone, carving herringbone patterns on the chapel walls that are still visible.

These skilled craftsmen combined Spanish building methods with their traditional techniques. The Rose Window shows this beautiful mix of Spanish baroque and Native American designs.

Modern archaeologists can even identify specific tool marks that match traditional Coahuiltecan stone-working methods.

Phil Collins’ Treasures

Rock star Phil Collins spent $15.5 million collecting over 200 rare Alamo artifacts between 1994 and 2014. This includes Davy Crockett’s Tennessee rifle, Jim Bowie’s knife collection, and an original letter from Colonel Travis (dated 1836).

Collins donated everything to the Alamo in 2014 and helped create a new 24,000-square-foot gallery. Visitors can now see these historic treasures in special climate-controlled display cases with interactive exhibits.

The Lost Cannon

The Alamo’s massive 18-pounder cannon, weighing 2,100 pounds, vanished after the battle on March 6, 1836. Records suggest General Santa Anna may have ordered the cannon to be buried near the mission.

Despite using advanced magnetic sensors and ground-penetrating radar, archaeologists still haven’t found it. Historical records suggest it’s somewhere within 300 yards of the Alamo’s north wall with other artifacts related to the 1836 battle.

Ghost Stories

Since 1960, security guards have reported strange events at the Alamo, particularly in the chapel area. Common experiences include mysterious footsteps in the chapel, sudden 20-degree temperature drops, and sightings of soldiers in period uniforms.

Many link these ghost stories to the mass burials of 1836. General Santa Anna didn’t allow proper burials for the defenders, instead ordering funeral pyres whose locations remain unknown today.

Hitler’s Strange Plan

In 1944, Nazi officials created “Project Steinadler” (Stone Eagle), to move the entire Alamo chapel to their planned post-war capital. Recently declassified OSS documents show they studied everything, taking apart stones and shipping them overseas.

Rumors claim that American spies discovered this plot through intercepted messages between Berlin and Nazi supporters in San Antonio, and prevented this from happening.