The structural integrity of the Alamo Cenotaph is the focus of a weekslong investigation by the Alamo Trust that officials say will give clarity on restoration to fortify and preserve the monument.
The Texas Land Office announced the start of the investigation Friday morning, as a live video feed offered viewers a real-time look at the monument honoring Texans killed during the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.
Amid talks of adding a barrier or landscape treatment around the Cenotaph, concerns have been raised over cracks in the marble panels, moisture and other damage to the monument.
Guido Construction built the foundation of the Cenotaph over 80 years ago and will partner with Clark Construction to help a group of architects, engineers, historians and preservation experts understand the monument’s evolutionary history as they examine the exterior of the structure, the masonry ties, interior concrete, brick integrity, drainage systems and moisture levels.
Alamo Trust officials said the investigation will help them make informed decisions about the restoration of the monument and assured it won’t change the appearance or alter the monument in any way. The restoration of the Cenotaph is part of the $510 million preservation and redevelopment project for Alamo Plaza.
A fence around the monument will go up Nov. 13 when the investigation starts, said Jonathan Huhn, communications director for the Alamo Trust.
The investigation, which Huhn said would last “a handful of weeks,” will look at the interior of the structure for the first time in quite a while.
“No one has been in the interior of the structure for some time,” Huhn said, adding that the stones will be removed from the top of the structure and kept on the property during the investigation.
“A lot will be determined as they’re moving forward with the actual investigation itself,” he said about the timeline of the investigation. “It is a structure that’s been on the ground for over 80 years.”
The Alamo Trust said it will share findings from the investigation, and that those results will ensure the preservation and long-term stability of the Cenotaph.
Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who in 2020 played a role in keeping the Cenotaph in place when the city wanted to move it 500 feet south, said the investigation is needed to “fortify the foundational integrity.”
“I am fully committed to preserving the Alamo Cenotaph for future generations. ‘The Spirit of Sacrifice’ stands as a symbol of the legacy and bravery of the fallen heroes who gave their all on this sacred ground,” Buckingham said.
The Alamo normally livestreams the Alamo church and Cenotaph and encourages the public to watch the investigation as it is happening.
This article has been updated to clarify the involvement of Clark Construction.
