Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Remembering the Alamo


Chron.com | Remembering the Alamo lost in time: "170 years later, tourism clouds the sacredness of the hard-fought battle

By AMY DORSETT
San Antonio Express-News

SAN ANTONIO - Strolling the grounds of the Alamo, where background noise is provided by hucksters across the street trying to lure tourists to their gaudy attractions, it's easy to forget that the area is sacred ground.

It was 170 years ago on March 6 that hundreds died.

Even the landmark's own gift shop can feature less-than-tasteful souvenirs (nothing says Remember the Alamo quite like a $5.25 ashtray made in China), and last spring it offered temporary tattoos as a fundraiser.

Between the commercial distractions and a population that seems permanently tethered to cell phones, keeping the sacredness of the Alamo intact has become a growing challenge for those who operate the Shrine of Texas Liberty.

'There are things we have no control over, so we control what we can,' said Bruce Winders, curator and historian of the Alamo."

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