“Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That wants it down.”
– From Mending Wall by Robert Frost
In 1871, the Catholic Bishop of the State of Texas, Claude Marie Dubuis, sold the galera, an Americanism for “shed” referring to the rectangular structure that included the Alamo barracks, south gate, and jail, to the City of San Antonio for $2,500. The deed included the following following restriction:
“And it being understood that the property hereby conveyed is as conveyed on condition that it shall be dedicated to the public use as an open space, and be made a part of and one with, the public plaza above and below it, now known as the Alamo Plaza and the Plaza de Valero.”
The initial design of a reimagined Alamo Plaza ignores the deed restriction of 1871, and specifically creates a structural glass interpretive wall to provide an enclosure of the historic setting, rather than studying the documents of the past.
In May 1836, after the Battle of San Jacinto, Gen. Vicente Filisola, second in command of Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna’s army, ordered Gen. Juan José Andrade to dismantle the fortifications of the Alamo. Eyewitness reports noted that all the single walls were leveled, the ditch filled up, and the pickets torn up and burnt. The galera remained.
In 1848, when the U.S. Army moved into the Alamo complex, it cleared the rubble, made major repairs to the structures, and replaced the original flat roofs with pitched, shingled ones. The galera was referred to in different descriptions as low stone barrack, carcel, and old prison building, depending on its use at the time.
By 1865, as San Antonio grew, there was a need to clean up the debris that still littered the plaza from the days of the battle. The old galera still separated the north and south portions of the plaza. When the City began to clear the ruins, a controversy arose over the ownership of the building between the Catholic Church and the City, and work was halted.
Pressure continued from the citizens and the press: The San Antonio Daily Express on March 7, 1869, wrote, “The Alamo Ruins – Why are the ruins opposite the Alamo Church left standing like a grim phantom, with its ghastly smile, looking out for relief, but all in vain. These ruins should be looked after, and demolished.”
The land in front of the galera was a quagmire when it rained, and remained a muddy pond for weeks. Pedestrians carried lamps at night to avoid falling into the mud hole. When the City finally began to remove the ruins in 1871, the newspaper suggested that the pond be filled with the earth that was being removed.
The plaza was scraped level to create better drainage and a neater appearance, but it removed or scrambled most of the archaeological evidence of earlier periods. In 1889, mesquite block paving was laid in the plaza, and the wall footings were again uncovered, perhaps damaging them more. The top soil that was brought in to create a park is still there.
In 1913, Texas Gov. Oscar Branch Colquitt, who had a deep interest in the Alamo, presented the 33rd Legislature with “A Message Relating to the Alamo Property.” It included the various deeds and rental agreements for the Alamo between the Church and the State of Texas, as well as the City of San Antonio. A map was included to show the various sections, including the galera.
In 1976, The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Archaeological Research conducted a study of Alamo Plaza, which included a detailed history of the plaza.
Will the City of San Antonio honor the deed restriction of 1871? There appear to be two arguments for invalidating a deed restriction:
- Waiver/abandonment through non-enforcement
- Radically changed conditions
Courts and the Texas Property Code operate under a presumption that properly-recorded restrictive covenants are valid. Overcoming this presumption requires compelling evidence.
We haven’t had a wall dividing the two plazas since the deed was issued in 1871, and conditions have not radically changed. While there are several local opinions ranging from reconstruction of the galera to a glass wall and to an open space, the open space should, by deed, prevail.
Wonderful article! And ammunition for the fight to preserve Alamo Plaza. We have 181 years of history AFTER the battle to consider also.
I’m very proud of my sister Sarah and her many years interest in protecting the Alamo. She has become expert in Alamo history. San Antonio should be glad someone has undertaken this effort. This article is yet another good example of her ongoing endeavors. Keep it up, Sister Dear!
James…I champion Sarah’s cause, and I wish I had a brother like you! 🙂
You can have my brother Brownie. He shot me with an arrow when we were little just because I kept running in front of the target when he warned me not to or he would shoot me. It had a rubber tip and I got him back because he got in trouble not me. When necessary he reminds me. Otherwise he’s ok but watch out for arrows.
Why do you need a modern glass wall,leave the site alone other than maintained it as it was after the battle,it has stood like this for nearly 200 years and with a little TCL. It is good for another 200 years why is there always someone who wants to waste our tax dollars and modernize something that are our history
If we are going to restore this area as a mission, then let’s restore it as a mission, complete with vegetable gardens, a functional acequia, etc. As the old Mexican woman told British tourist William Bollaert in 1843, “Ah, Señor, had you but seen the Alamo on a feast day, as I have seen it, not like it is now, in ruins, you would have been delighted…. The front of the church was so beautiful. On one side of the doorway stood San Antonio, on the other San Fernando with other saints. The bells rung a merry peal; they were broken up and thrown into the river … the enemy not being able to melt them into bullets. I never look into the ruins of the church without shedding a tear; not half the walls are now to be seen…”
Great research!! Shows even at that early time in San Antonio’s development the understanding and appreciation for a large public gathering space! ..I hope our city leaders (council and mayor) on Thursday will have the same benevolent perspective and assign a similar restriction to the land before they give it to the STATE.
Sometimes a bit of history is staring you right in the face and you don’t see it. I was looking for information about the South Gate because I was hopeful we could just reconstruct that as a single structure to represent the entrance. That deed is mentioned in George Nelson’s book and transcribed in Governor Colquitt’s papers. An online search in the City Archives didn’t show it, so I went downtown and looked through the old deed book and there it was. Elvira scanned it for me and it is now online Go to http://www.sanantonio.gov/Municipal-Archives-Records/Search-Collections and put Galera in the simple search box.
Amazing article Sarah. As a native San Antonian, let me say a big thank you for being persistent and for all your work on this subject. You’re research is invaluable. I am proud to have met you.
Let’s keep Alamo Plaza open!
We don’t need glass walls, but some markers of the original footprint might be nice. O’Neil Ford did something like that in 1981 at the upper end of the Paseo del Alamo, marking the southwest corner of the compound with low stone blocks that mimicked the original walls. More sensitive, subtle, and a lot cheaper than the proposed glass panels.
With much sadness and sarcasm ” what’s the big deal? The city fathers have all ready given the Alamo away”. It will never be the same again!
Julie, The state of Texas owns the Alamo church and the buildings at the west wall, the city owns the Plaza. If the Daughters were still in charge the Alamo would still have a questionable roof and lack of information on the extent of the neglect. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”
Yeah and I still say NO GLASS WALLS. I happen to have spent my career in roofing and that wasn’t the only issue with the Daughters. Just saying they did have a good, long run and I fear we’ll lose huge numbers of tourists if we start charging fees to enjoy the monument
Thank you Sarah, hopefully your research is taken into account and will keep Alamo Plaza open to all visitors. Once again, wow! I get to know a lot more about our beloved Alamo from your research and writing!
No glass walls! Keep all trees in place!
If the Cenotaph must be moved, then I will miss it in front of our shrine. But I will visit it in its new location and be solemn there as well.
Build a sacred place and marker for the indigenous peoples!
Sarah,
I just visited San Antonio with all the information you have provided about the Alamo Plaza transformation. What is the latest news? I met a couple of ladies that were protesting the relocation of the Centotaph. What do the almost finalized plans look like?
Hi Jaylia, you can see the latest update here on the Rivard Report at https://therivardreport.com/alamo-master-planners-present-new-plan-for-the-plaza/
The plans aren’t finalized, and they are holding 4 more public meetings.
As usual, you can’t please everybody but I’m satisfied. The Cenotaph protestors were at the meeting at the Witte, and did little to promote their cause by acting extremely rude. The next few meetings are public and they can speak. I have them posted on my website at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10216114451551055&set=pcb.1753031691448878&type=3&theater&ifg=1