On the grass in front of the Shrine you will find on a bronze plaque a letter
written by William B. Travis on the second day of the siege.
What words did Travis underline in his letter three times?
_____________________________________
Travis said that they found 20 or 30 heads of cattle. However, Travis did not use the word cattle. What word did Travis use in his letter for cattle?
__________________________
The Alamo was originally a Spanish Mission called Mission San Antonio de
Valero. The Shrine was the church and it was the last building built on the
mission compound. The Indians started building this church in 1756.
How old is this building? ______________
We ask that you do not touch the walls so that they can be preserved for future generations. Before you go into the Shrine remember that this building is dedicated to the men who died in the Alamo battle. In honor of these Alamo defenders you are to be as quiet as you can. The plaque on the front door reads “Be silent friend here heroes died to blaze the trail for other men.” Make sure you speak quietly inside the building.
As you enter the Shrine you will find two small rooms on either side. These rooms are where the defenders stored gunpowder during the battle. In the room to the right are a bell that was here when this was mission San Antonio de Valero and a statue of ________________________.
San Antonio was named after this saint.
The flags inside the main room tell us how many defenders came from that country or that state. Find the number on the banner.
How many defenders came from Scotland? __________________
Kentucky? ______________
New York? __________________
Go into the two side rooms. In the first room what defender owned one of the rifles on display? _____________________________________
Now go into the next room. In this room there is a plaque that tells us that this room protected the ______________________________ who survived
the siege. Find the pocket watch. This watch belonged to _____________________, the last courier to leave the Alamo.
There are bronze plaques at the back of the main room listing the known Alamo defenders. Name a defender from Missouri. _________________
From Texas. _________________________
One of the plaques in the back reads “ In honor of those Alamo Heroes Whose Name History _________________________________________”.
Now go outside to the Wall of History, which is right next to the gift shop. Look at the section titled: “Mission Period 1719 – 1793” Draw the cattle brand for Mission San Antonio de Valero. ______________
“Decline of the Spanish Rule 1794 – 1821” In the early 1800’s a Spanish military unit occupied the Alamo. These men were from the town of El _______________ de Parras in Coahuila, Mexico. This may account for how the Alamo got its name. “Birth of the Republic of Texas 1836”.
What flag was captured by the Mexican army at the Fall of the Alamo?
________________________________________________
Now let’s go to the Long Barrack. Find the case with the keys. In the center of this case are the keys to Mission ____________________________, today known as the Alamo.
Find the ring. Which Alamo defender did this ring belong to?
_____________________
In front of the Long Barrack is the Convento Courtyard. See the Live Oak tree. This tree was approximately 40 years old when it was planted in 1912. How old would it be today? _____________________
Across from the tree is a sign dedicated to two women who helped make the Alamo into a memorial to the “Alamo Heroes.”
What were their names? _____________________________________