June 18, 2025 • 16 mins
Jonathan Huhn, with the Alamo Trust, joined Preston to talk about the history of and the exciting discoveries happening at one of America's venerable sites.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Five passed the hour third hour Morning show with Preston
Scotch and One of Friends, show number five thousand, three
hundred and ninety six. He's Jose. I'm Preston, and you know,
if you've listened to this program at all, I am
just a nerd when it comes to history. That does
not mean I know it all that well. I'm just
fascinated by it. And I came across the story. We
(00:25):
talked about it on the show back in March, and
the headline of the story is historic Discovery confirms the
courey that supplied limestone for the Alamo. And joining me
on the program is Jonathan Huon. He is the communications
director with the Alamo Trust the website Thelamo dot org.
(00:45):
Jonathan at long last, sir, we got you on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
How are you, Yes, sir, good morning from the Alamo City.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I appreciate you making time for us. I have been
pursuing this time for a while. Now. I want to
give everybody a snap shot because I would gather most
people listening to our show today have never been to
the Alamo, but all are familiar with parts of the
story remind us the purpose the Alamo served from its onset,
(01:14):
what was the reason it existed?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Sure, so, the Alamo began as a Spanish mission in
the early seventeen hundreds. In fact, that deach location was
built where it is today in seventeen twenty four, just
celebrating its tri centennial last year. Was Spain's effort to
settle and really play Christianity throughout the region and really
was part of Spain for nearly three hundred years, and
(01:38):
Texas remained under a Spanish rule until it became part
of Mexico in eighteen twenty one, and then after Mexican independence,
the Constitution of eighteen twenty four gave states, including states
like Texas, more economy, but when General Santa Anna overturned
the Constitution in eighteen thirty five created more of a
centralized power, unrest broke out across the country and in Texas,
(02:02):
settlers like the Texaan Titanos alike viewed it as really
a betrayal of their rights and a revolution followed and
that same year Texan forces captured the Alamo. In December
of eighteen thirty five from the Mexican army, setting that
stage for Santa Ona's return and then March eighteen thirty six,
after a thirteen day siege, Setana's forces overran the Alamo,
(02:25):
killing the about one hundred and eighty nine known Alamo defenders,
including James Bowie, William Travis, Davy Crockett. But their sacrifice
became a rallying cry for Texas independence, and after the
battle fell into disrepair, it was used as a military outpost.
The US Army came in in eighteen forty seven and
(02:46):
just really kind of became a huge seed for Military
City USA here in San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So the reason it was the epicenter as we kind
of look back and we see that as the flash
point of this conflict with Mexico. You mentioned Santa Anna.
The reason is because Texas took control of it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's correct, because there was a lot of unrest when
that change of the constitution being removed, So the eighteen
twenty four constitution basically being torn up in eighteen thirty five,
and at that point period of time you had basically
a civil war across Mexico many of the states. In fact,
when that took place, Texas sent its navy to the
(03:30):
Yukaton Later because the Yukaton Peninsula almost became part of
its own nation as well, So it wasn't just Texas
fighting for its own independence nation. It was a really
civil unrest across the entire nation as a result of
the constitution being torn up by its leader.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
You mentioned some very famous names, and I want to
just take a second to drill down on some of them.
We'll do one first and then we'll take a quick
break here. What was Davy Crockett doing at the Alamo?
He was Wasn't he a member of Congress at one point?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
That's correct, So he was probably one of the most
famous Americans at that time that was setting the states
to become president. He and Andrew Jackson, both from Tennessee,
didn't see eye to eye politically. Andrew Jackson did everything
possible to actually have him lose this congressional did and
that was that when that famous phrase came out, yell
(04:22):
nago or that he'll actually come to Texas in early
eighteen thirty six. So it was a really interesting story.
You know, one thing that I had actually learned in
my time at the Alamo. You know many legendary stories
about him, but he was actually with a young naval lieutenant,
the first individual to help boil a presidential assassination attempt,
(04:44):
and it was of Andrew Jackson, who later ruined his
own political career. So there are a lot of interesting
stories you'll learn while working or coming and visiting to
the Alamo.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Is the Morning Show with President Scott, I admitted just
a few minutes ago. I'm a nerd on history, and
I remember talking on this program about the story of
the letter that William Travis famously wrote and had sent
(05:13):
out seeking help reinforcements because he anticipated what was coming
to the Alamo. And I talked about that letter making
its way back to the Alamo. If I'm not mistaken, Jonathan,
that letter returned just a few years ago for the
first time since it was written and sent out. Is
(05:33):
that correct?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
This it's actually the second time. But you actually bring
up something that's very timely, Preston, because the Texas Legislature,
we were working with Representative Cody Harris here in Texas
just past HB thirteen ninety seven awaiting the Governor's signature
to actually return the Travis Letter to be on display
(05:55):
permanently at the Future Visitor Center museum that's opening in
twenty twenty seven. So we're very, very excited about that
because one thing as many people were the number one
chorus destination in Texas. We get one point six million
people to the Shrine of Texas Liberty each and every year.
Our tour guides will talk about the letter, and then
people will ask, well, where is it? And unfortunately it's
(06:17):
in the State Archives, basically in a basement in Austin.
But now with this new Visitors Center museum we're open
in a few years, we'll be able to have it
on display for our many visitors.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Have you seen the letter?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I have the last time we had it on display
last year.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
How I don't want to put words in your mouth here,
but I was moved by just the story the letter's existence.
It was coming back and there's just a poetry to that.
When you first saw it with your own eyes, tell
us what was your reaction and what was in the letter?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
You know, it's always a special moment when you come
across a very important historic American document like that, and
that's a deeply significant part of American history, a special
part of history between really the Revolutionary War and Civil War.
And you know, the first time I had seen it
was being put on display by our collections team here
(07:15):
and actually having a moment in the room by myself
with the letter. It was especially significant. It kind of
reminded me when I was a young boy going to
DC for the first time and seeing the Declaration of Independence,
because this was a huge part of just US history,
and when you think about, you know, the few pieces
of paper documentation in American history, this has got to
(07:37):
be one of the in my personal opinion, one of
the top ten. So it's just very important that we
have this back at the album and we're really excited
to have it on display at the Alumo in just
a few short years.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
A deeply personal letter but also a letter with a purpose.
Remind everybody the purpose of this letter and what he
was hoping to accomplish.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yes, so at the time that it was actually written,
the Alamo had already been under siege. It was a
plead for reinforcements and supplies to show on wavering resolves
in a face of overwhelming odds. Who really address the
people of Texas and all Americans of the world. As
it actually stated in the letter, it was going to
call for help in a bold declaration of defiance to
(08:23):
stand up against really thousands of Mexican troops that were
surrounding them, and the now really ending in the now
legendary phrase victory or death. The letter became a powerful
symbol of courage sacrifice. It really helped the galvanize support
for the Texan cause during the revolution.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Was it just that it got to its intended destination
too late to matter or what was the end result
of that letter being sent?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So it was dispatched. There were about thirty two brave
souls that were actually called the Immortal thirty two and
Gonzales that did arrive prior to the actual battle. Unfortunately,
it wasn't enough reinforcements to actually make a difference with
the overwhelming odds that took place at that point in time.
(09:10):
So there were some reinforcements that did arrive, but it
unfortunately was not enough. But again the Alamo became an
ultimate rallying cry. Just about really a little over a
month later, the Battle of Sanjacento, which did ultimately result
in the Texas independence by capturing Santa Ana and his forces.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Jonathan Huan with us from the Alamo Trust website Thelamo
dot Org set up your time visit make it a
road trip for yourself and your family this summer when
we come back the discovery that prompted this entire visit.
Next on the Morning Show twenty one past the Hour,
Jonathan Huing with me with the Alamo Trust, we're talking
about a historic discovery. But first, speaking of history and
(09:57):
the Alamo, I tested my memory with Jonathan in the
break and I said, is it true? Is my memory
correct that the artist Phil Collins, formerly of the group Genesis,
and then he had an incredible solo career that he
was like one of the biggest collectors of Alamo memorabilia
(10:17):
or history of anybody out there, Jonathan.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Historical historical artifacts. That's correct. He actually had over four
hundred and thirty items, making him the largest private collector
of Alama artifacts in the world. And you know, we're
really excited to have the Collins display really up and
about on display here at the Alamo now. So he
donated all of it, all of it and twenty fourteen,
(10:42):
a little over two or ten years ago, it valued
at about twenty million dollars all to the people of Texas.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
That's incredible. Yeah, Okay, he's now my favorite. All right,
let's talk about the restoration of the Alamo. What's the
project and then lead us to the headline of a
historic discovery.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Absolutely, so I'm glad you asked that. So right now
we are working on something called the Alamo Plan. It's
an over half a billion dollar investment into the Shrine
of Texas Liberty, the entire Alamo grounds to make sure
that we are really bringing the Alamo up to its
well recognized name internationally. So we are not only preserving
(11:24):
the church in Long Barrack, which are the two remaining structures.
We are building a visitor center museum that will be
opening just in two short years in twenty twenty seven.
That'll have eight galleries, a four D theater, and a
rooftop event space. That way we can tell the full
three hundred year history of the Alamo like never before.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Tell me about the quarry discovery.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Wonderful. That's a great question. So I mentioned the preservation
of the church in Long Barrack. So the Long Barrack
is one of, if not the oldest building standing still
in the state of Texas, built in seventeen twenty four.
The church that everyone knows very well, in the historic
Western Facade that you're all very familiar with, built in
about the mid seventeen fifties. Now, in order to preserve
(12:06):
these structures, ensure that they're standing for future generations in
another three hundred years, we had to make sure that
we're finding appropriate limestone. So we had done testing really
in many different areas, but working with historical documents, specifically
the Minchaka map it's a map from the nineteenth century,
we were able to determine a location where we could
(12:26):
do some additional testing, and doing that testing in combination
and in concert with those historic documents, we actually found
a match of this limestone and it was just a
huge discovery, very excited for us, so more importantly knowing
that exact location where the limestone was quarried, but more
importantly having the stone match. For this preservation effort of
(12:49):
the church Long Bearrick are very very important. Back beginning
next year, will actually be replacing the nineteen twenty roof
that was put on the structure. Order to do so,
having that limestone match is very very important. But that discovery,
you know, going back three hundred years, it was incredibly important.
We're very very proud to have made that here in
(13:10):
San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
But if I read this story correctly, Jonathan, it was
almost a fluke that you found the exact quarry because
it was during an excavation for a gorilla habitat at
the San Antonio Zoo.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
That's right. So our conservator was actually going by the
area and we had been reviewing those historic documents for
some time. She made the suggestion to actually test that
location and sure enough, you know, it came back a
match that we couldn't have been more private as well
as the San Antonio Zoo.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
So, okay, does that change how the zoo handles the
gorilla habitat, Not to my knowledge.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I know they're moving forward with that project, but you know,
working with them and they've been fantastic to ensure that
we do have a lot of that material as we
move forward for the preservation effort. So it's just a
wonderful discovery, but more important so that we can help
to ensure the historic structures. You really helped because, as
(14:13):
my conservator likes to say, they are sick patients. They
are very old buildings and structures, but we have to
make sure they're standing for future generations to really know
not only Texas but American history.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
So the plan is for the restoration and the opening
of the new visitor center slash museum to happen in
twenty twenty seven. Is there a tentative month of completion
you're looking.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
For right now? It's going to be fall of twenty seven,
so no specific months, but we're looking at the fall.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I cannot wait to visit. It's funny because I've been
through San Antonio. I had a brother live in San Antonio.
I have personally never laid eyes on the Alamo, and
it's kind of strange because it's kind of stuck in
downtown San Antonio, right.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
That's correct. You know, we're one of the few UNESCRA
World Heritage SIDNE that's actually in the middle of a
major metropolitan area. But the Alamo was really kind of
central to San Antonio, and just commercial developments that took
place really over centuries after it was the mission and
complex was completed, just grew up over time. And that's
(15:17):
why it's one of the most unique challenges to the
Alamo Plan because part of that is to take back
as much as the mission and battlefield footprint as possible.
And we work with many of our stakeholders of the
City of San Antonio, with their county in order to
do so. They're wonderful partners have been doing a fantastic job.
I'm really excited for this plan to be complete at
the end of twenty seven. But press and I have
(15:38):
to say, if you're in the Alamo City, please.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Let us know.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
We're happy to give you a VIP tour behind the scenes.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I am going to take you up on that. I
guarantee it's going to happen after that visitors center opens up.
I cannot wait. You've sold more than a few tourists
visits to the Alamo here this morning. Jonathan, thanks for
being a champion waking up for us and joining us
on the show.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
My pleasure. Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Thank you Jonathan hun with the Alamo Trust, our guest
communications director. What a history lesson and a little vision casting.
And I'll tell you what if they get that Travis letter,
just look up the document now you can look at
(16:23):
it and you can get the you know it was
it was handwritten. You can get the type translation of it.
It is such a worthwhile read. And we didn't even
get to James Bowie, the guy who's the Bowie Knife.
It was after him. Classic story of American history right there.
(16:44):
Hope you enjoyed that, the Alamo. Hope you remember the Alamo.
It's The Morning Show with Preston Scott
Five passed the hour third hour Morning show with Preston
Scotch and One of Friends, show number five thousand, three
hundred and ninety six. He's Jose. I'm Preston, and you know,
if you've listened to this program at all, I am
just a nerd when it comes to history. That does
not mean I know it all that well. I'm just
fascinated by it. And I came across the story. We
(00:25):
talked about it on the show back in March, and
the headline of the story is historic Discovery confirms the
courey that supplied limestone for the Alamo. And joining me
on the program is Jonathan Huon. He is the communications
director with the Alamo Trust the website Thelamo dot org.
(00:45):
Jonathan at long last, sir, we got you on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
How are you, Yes, sir, good morning from the Alamo City.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I appreciate you making time for us. I have been
pursuing this time for a while. Now. I want to
give everybody a snap shot because I would gather most
people listening to our show today have never been to
the Alamo, but all are familiar with parts of the
story remind us the purpose the Alamo served from its onset,
(01:14):
what was the reason it existed?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Sure, so, the Alamo began as a Spanish mission in
the early seventeen hundreds. In fact, that deach location was
built where it is today in seventeen twenty four, just
celebrating its tri centennial last year. Was Spain's effort to
settle and really play Christianity throughout the region and really
was part of Spain for nearly three hundred years, and
(01:38):
Texas remained under a Spanish rule until it became part
of Mexico in eighteen twenty one, and then after Mexican independence,
the Constitution of eighteen twenty four gave states, including states
like Texas, more economy, but when General Santa Anna overturned
the Constitution in eighteen thirty five created more of a
centralized power, unrest broke out across the country and in Texas,
(02:02):
settlers like the Texaan Titanos alike viewed it as really
a betrayal of their rights and a revolution followed and
that same year Texan forces captured the Alamo. In December
of eighteen thirty five from the Mexican army, setting that
stage for Santa Ona's return and then March eighteen thirty six,
after a thirteen day siege, Setana's forces overran the Alamo,
(02:25):
killing the about one hundred and eighty nine known Alamo defenders,
including James Bowie, William Travis, Davy Crockett. But their sacrifice
became a rallying cry for Texas independence, and after the
battle fell into disrepair, it was used as a military outpost.
The US Army came in in eighteen forty seven and
(02:46):
just really kind of became a huge seed for Military
City USA here in San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So the reason it was the epicenter as we kind
of look back and we see that as the flash
point of this conflict with Mexico. You mentioned Santa Anna.
The reason is because Texas took control of it.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's correct, because there was a lot of unrest when
that change of the constitution being removed, So the eighteen
twenty four constitution basically being torn up in eighteen thirty five,
and at that point period of time you had basically
a civil war across Mexico many of the states. In fact,
when that took place, Texas sent its navy to the
(03:30):
Yukaton Later because the Yukaton Peninsula almost became part of
its own nation as well, So it wasn't just Texas
fighting for its own independence nation. It was a really
civil unrest across the entire nation as a result of
the constitution being torn up by its leader.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
You mentioned some very famous names, and I want to
just take a second to drill down on some of them.
We'll do one first and then we'll take a quick
break here. What was Davy Crockett doing at the Alamo?
He was Wasn't he a member of Congress at one point?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
That's correct, So he was probably one of the most
famous Americans at that time that was setting the states
to become president. He and Andrew Jackson, both from Tennessee,
didn't see eye to eye politically. Andrew Jackson did everything
possible to actually have him lose this congressional did and
that was that when that famous phrase came out, yell
(04:22):
nago or that he'll actually come to Texas in early
eighteen thirty six. So it was a really interesting story.
You know, one thing that I had actually learned in
my time at the Alamo. You know many legendary stories
about him, but he was actually with a young naval lieutenant,
the first individual to help boil a presidential assassination attempt,
(04:44):
and it was of Andrew Jackson, who later ruined his
own political career. So there are a lot of interesting
stories you'll learn while working or coming and visiting to
the Alamo.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Is the Morning Show with President Scott, I admitted just
a few minutes ago. I'm a nerd on history, and
I remember talking on this program about the story of
the letter that William Travis famously wrote and had sent
(05:13):
out seeking help reinforcements because he anticipated what was coming
to the Alamo. And I talked about that letter making
its way back to the Alamo. If I'm not mistaken, Jonathan,
that letter returned just a few years ago for the
first time since it was written and sent out. Is
(05:33):
that correct?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
This it's actually the second time. But you actually bring
up something that's very timely, Preston, because the Texas Legislature,
we were working with Representative Cody Harris here in Texas
just past HB thirteen ninety seven awaiting the Governor's signature
to actually return the Travis Letter to be on display
(05:55):
permanently at the Future Visitor Center museum that's opening in
twenty twenty seven. So we're very, very excited about that
because one thing as many people were the number one
chorus destination in Texas. We get one point six million
people to the Shrine of Texas Liberty each and every year.
Our tour guides will talk about the letter, and then
people will ask, well, where is it? And unfortunately it's
(06:17):
in the State Archives, basically in a basement in Austin.
But now with this new Visitors Center museum we're open
in a few years, we'll be able to have it
on display for our many visitors.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Have you seen the letter?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I have the last time we had it on display
last year.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
How I don't want to put words in your mouth here,
but I was moved by just the story the letter's existence.
It was coming back and there's just a poetry to that.
When you first saw it with your own eyes, tell
us what was your reaction and what was in the letter?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
You know, it's always a special moment when you come
across a very important historic American document like that, and
that's a deeply significant part of American history, a special
part of history between really the Revolutionary War and Civil War.
And you know, the first time I had seen it
was being put on display by our collections team here
(07:15):
and actually having a moment in the room by myself
with the letter. It was especially significant. It kind of
reminded me when I was a young boy going to
DC for the first time and seeing the Declaration of Independence,
because this was a huge part of just US history,
and when you think about, you know, the few pieces
of paper documentation in American history, this has got to
(07:37):
be one of the in my personal opinion, one of
the top ten. So it's just very important that we
have this back at the album and we're really excited
to have it on display at the Alumo in just
a few short years.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
A deeply personal letter but also a letter with a purpose.
Remind everybody the purpose of this letter and what he
was hoping to accomplish.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yes, so at the time that it was actually written,
the Alamo had already been under siege. It was a
plead for reinforcements and supplies to show on wavering resolves
in a face of overwhelming odds. Who really address the
people of Texas and all Americans of the world. As
it actually stated in the letter, it was going to
call for help in a bold declaration of defiance to
(08:23):
stand up against really thousands of Mexican troops that were
surrounding them, and the now really ending in the now
legendary phrase victory or death. The letter became a powerful
symbol of courage sacrifice. It really helped the galvanize support
for the Texan cause during the revolution.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Was it just that it got to its intended destination
too late to matter or what was the end result
of that letter being sent?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So it was dispatched. There were about thirty two brave
souls that were actually called the Immortal thirty two and
Gonzales that did arrive prior to the actual battle. Unfortunately,
it wasn't enough reinforcements to actually make a difference with
the overwhelming odds that took place at that point in time.
(09:10):
So there were some reinforcements that did arrive, but it
unfortunately was not enough. But again the Alamo became an
ultimate rallying cry. Just about really a little over a
month later, the Battle of Sanjacento, which did ultimately result
in the Texas independence by capturing Santa Ana and his forces.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Jonathan Huan with us from the Alamo Trust website Thelamo
dot Org set up your time visit make it a
road trip for yourself and your family this summer when
we come back the discovery that prompted this entire visit.
Next on the Morning Show twenty one past the Hour,
Jonathan Huing with me with the Alamo Trust, we're talking
about a historic discovery. But first, speaking of history and
(09:57):
the Alamo, I tested my memory with Jonathan in the
break and I said, is it true? Is my memory
correct that the artist Phil Collins, formerly of the group Genesis,
and then he had an incredible solo career that he
was like one of the biggest collectors of Alamo memorabilia
(10:17):
or history of anybody out there, Jonathan.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Historical historical artifacts. That's correct. He actually had over four
hundred and thirty items, making him the largest private collector
of Alama artifacts in the world. And you know, we're
really excited to have the Collins display really up and
about on display here at the Alamo now. So he
donated all of it, all of it and twenty fourteen,
(10:42):
a little over two or ten years ago, it valued
at about twenty million dollars all to the people of Texas.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
That's incredible. Yeah, Okay, he's now my favorite. All right,
let's talk about the restoration of the Alamo. What's the
project and then lead us to the headline of a
historic discovery.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Absolutely, so I'm glad you asked that. So right now
we are working on something called the Alamo Plan. It's
an over half a billion dollar investment into the Shrine
of Texas Liberty, the entire Alamo grounds to make sure
that we are really bringing the Alamo up to its
well recognized name internationally. So we are not only preserving
(11:24):
the church in Long Barrack, which are the two remaining structures.
We are building a visitor center museum that will be
opening just in two short years in twenty twenty seven.
That'll have eight galleries, a four D theater, and a
rooftop event space. That way we can tell the full
three hundred year history of the Alamo like never before.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Tell me about the quarry discovery.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Wonderful. That's a great question. So I mentioned the preservation
of the church in Long Barrack. So the Long Barrack
is one of, if not the oldest building standing still
in the state of Texas, built in seventeen twenty four.
The church that everyone knows very well, in the historic
Western Facade that you're all very familiar with, built in
about the mid seventeen fifties. Now, in order to preserve
(12:06):
these structures, ensure that they're standing for future generations in
another three hundred years, we had to make sure that
we're finding appropriate limestone. So we had done testing really
in many different areas, but working with historical documents, specifically
the Minchaka map it's a map from the nineteenth century,
we were able to determine a location where we could
(12:26):
do some additional testing, and doing that testing in combination
and in concert with those historic documents, we actually found
a match of this limestone and it was just a
huge discovery, very excited for us, so more importantly knowing
that exact location where the limestone was quarried, but more
importantly having the stone match. For this preservation effort of
(12:49):
the church Long Bearrick are very very important. Back beginning
next year, will actually be replacing the nineteen twenty roof
that was put on the structure. Order to do so,
having that limestone match is very very important. But that discovery,
you know, going back three hundred years, it was incredibly important.
We're very very proud to have made that here in
(13:10):
San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
But if I read this story correctly, Jonathan, it was
almost a fluke that you found the exact quarry because
it was during an excavation for a gorilla habitat at
the San Antonio Zoo.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
That's right. So our conservator was actually going by the
area and we had been reviewing those historic documents for
some time. She made the suggestion to actually test that
location and sure enough, you know, it came back a
match that we couldn't have been more private as well
as the San Antonio Zoo.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
So, okay, does that change how the zoo handles the
gorilla habitat, Not to my knowledge.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I know they're moving forward with that project, but you know,
working with them and they've been fantastic to ensure that
we do have a lot of that material as we
move forward for the preservation effort. So it's just a
wonderful discovery, but more important so that we can help
to ensure the historic structures. You really helped because, as
(14:13):
my conservator likes to say, they are sick patients. They
are very old buildings and structures, but we have to
make sure they're standing for future generations to really know
not only Texas but American history.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
So the plan is for the restoration and the opening
of the new visitor center slash museum to happen in
twenty twenty seven. Is there a tentative month of completion
you're looking.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
For right now? It's going to be fall of twenty seven,
so no specific months, but we're looking at the fall.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I cannot wait to visit. It's funny because I've been
through San Antonio. I had a brother live in San Antonio.
I have personally never laid eyes on the Alamo, and
it's kind of strange because it's kind of stuck in
downtown San Antonio, right.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
That's correct. You know, we're one of the few UNESCRA
World Heritage SIDNE that's actually in the middle of a
major metropolitan area. But the Alamo was really kind of
central to San Antonio, and just commercial developments that took
place really over centuries after it was the mission and
complex was completed, just grew up over time. And that's
(15:17):
why it's one of the most unique challenges to the
Alamo Plan because part of that is to take back
as much as the mission and battlefield footprint as possible.
And we work with many of our stakeholders of the
City of San Antonio, with their county in order to
do so. They're wonderful partners have been doing a fantastic job.
I'm really excited for this plan to be complete at
the end of twenty seven. But press and I have
(15:38):
to say, if you're in the Alamo City, please.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Let us know.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
We're happy to give you a VIP tour behind the scenes.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I am going to take you up on that. I
guarantee it's going to happen after that visitors center opens up.
I cannot wait. You've sold more than a few tourists
visits to the Alamo here this morning. Jonathan, thanks for
being a champion waking up for us and joining us
on the show.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
My pleasure. Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Thank you Jonathan hun with the Alamo Trust, our guest
communications director. What a history lesson and a little vision casting.
And I'll tell you what if they get that Travis letter,
just look up the document now you can look at
(16:23):
it and you can get the you know it was
it was handwritten. You can get the type translation of it.
It is such a worthwhile read. And we didn't even
get to James Bowie, the guy who's the Bowie Knife.
It was after him. Classic story of American history right there.
(16:44):
Hope you enjoyed that, the Alamo. Hope you remember the Alamo.
It's The Morning Show with Preston Scott
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