Before moving to Texas, I heard the name The Alamo mentioned quite often. I knew a battle was fought at that place but I did not know why, when, or its true importance. After moving to Texas, I decided it was important to learn about the history of our new home and so my family set out on a roadtrip to San Antonio to visit The Alamo.

I had no idea how much I would learn about overall Texas history on our visit. The Alamo, once a Spanish mission, an army fort, and even a warehouse, has been transformed into a museum dedicated to teaching visitors about the battle at The Alamo and the people who fought in or were just caught up in that battle. There were also materials on immigrants to Texas from other US states and Europe, how Texas won its independence from Mexico, The War between Mexico and the US, and finally information on how Texas ended its run as an independent jurisdiction and joined the USA as a state. I had no idea how unique Texas history was to that of other US States. It was interesting to learn that people immigrated to Texas because Mexico, at the time, encouraged immigration through low land prices to fill Texas with people friendly to Mexico and prevent from the Spanish from taking over the region. It was also interesting to discover that a Tejano culture had developed in Texas, far before the area became a state, that took Mexican, Native American, and Spanish cultures and turned them into a uniquely Texan culture that survives today.

The Alamo is a great place for school age children to learn about US history (and their parents too). My son is not school age but even he was delighted by the many exhibits and the beautiful gardens that are maintained around the museum. There is an enormous amount more to learn so don't hesitate to visit. Amazingly, entry is free. It is located in the beautiful city of San Antonio which is filled with many other historical places. The city is also filled to the brim with incredibly delicious but affordably priced food. See http://www.thealamo.org for more information. For more articles about Texas visit Spend Wisely Texas.

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