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San Antonio: The Alamo City

© Bob Thaxton

You also could make the introduction by renting and viewing the most popular movie telling the inspirational story – John Wayne’s “The Alamo.” Though originally released in 1960, it’s even available now in a DVD version.

Obviously, neither of the aforementioned movies was filmed on location at the actual Alamo. Its downtown site makes that impractical. When Wayne went looking for the setting of his big-budget epic, he chose a ranch north of Brackettville, a small town about a three-hour drive west of San Antonio. The rancher, Happy Shahan, offered his property with the proviso that buildings constructed for the movie would remain there. Wayne’s movie set became Alamo Village, and it still operates as both a tourist attraction open year round and a popular location for the production of movies like the IMAX film and other westerns, including “Lonesome Dove” and “Bad Girls,” as well as TV commercials and other endeavors.

Another way to get ready to visit the Alamo is to check out its Web site, http://thealamo.org. It provides a comprehensive package of information in a visually attractive format. You’ll learn that while the Alamo is owned by the state of Texas it is managed by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, a women’s organization similar in concept to the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). State law grants custodianship of the Alamo to the DRT, and there are state legislators who would like to change that, making it part of the state park system. During each biennial session of the Legislature, someone introduces a bill proposing to make the change, but the proposal finds scant support among lawmakers.

The DRT, in years past, was criticized for some aspects of the organization’s management of the Alamo. But the group reacted by making changes that have quieted many of the critics. And the DRT’s management keeps the old mission-fortress open to more 2.5 million people who visit it each year without paying any admission charge. Though no one pays to enter, visitors are encouraged to make donations, and the DRT also raises funds through sales in a gift shop on the grounds.

After touring the Alamo, many visitors make their way to the city’s famed River Walk, or Paseo del Rio, along the San Antonio River. The easiest way to reach it from the Alamo is to stroll west for less than two blocks on a beautifully constructed and landscaped pedestrian route down to river level and through the Hyatt Regency Hotel to the River Walk. If you’ve spent a morning at the Alamo, lunch at one of the many restaurants along the River Walk is a delightful way to get ready for an afternoon of additional sightseeing in San Antonio.