Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 65: The Battle Of New Orleans Here at the Alamo, we believe all history is connected. That’s why we’re taking you to Louisiana where 210 years ago this week, some two decades before the Battle of the Alamo, a struggle between two nations helped set the stage for conflicts to come. We reveal what led to the Battle of New Orleans, what the America...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 64: The Real James Bowie As we turn the calendar to a new year, we remember an Alamo Defender who also used the new year to forge a fresh start. On January 1, 1830, James Bowie officially moved to Texas. We reveal the real James Bowie: how he became internationally known as a fearless knife-fighter, his marriage into a prominent San Antonio fami...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 63: Plaza De Valero As we close out a year of unprecedented growth at the Alamo, we are celebrating a major milestone in the Alamo Plan: this week, the pedestrian-friendly Plaza De Valero will be open for the community and visitors to enjoy. We reveal what you’ll see at Plaza De Valero, why this community space is so vital, and how it will becom...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 62: Hurricane Recovery - David Crockett Birthplace State Park In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene bore up the United States eastern seaboard. As the deadly storm moved inland, devastating rain stalled over Tennessee, washing away much of the state park that marks the birthplace of David Crockett. We reveal the extent of damage at David Croc...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast! Episode 61: The Storming Of Bexar The Storming Of Bexar is a shorthand description of the first major campaign of the Texas Revolution, with street-to-street and even house-to-house fighting just footsteps from the Alamo. We reveal the central figure of this conflict, how he sacrificed his life to help ensure Texans won control of the Alamo, and the pi...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 60: The Grass Fight In late November 1835, a Texas Revolution skirmish took place that history remembers as “most unusual.” We reveal how The Grass Fight happened, the impact it had on control of San Antonio, and how it helped bring Revolution closer to the Alamo. Featuring the Alamo's Senior Curator, Historian & Lecturer Ernesto Rodrig...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 59: Mexican Politics & The Texas Revolution In November 1835, 189 years ago this month, the Texas Revolution is in full swing. It’s not an isolated event – rather, one link in a chain of events that had been unfolding for several years in greater Mexico. We reveal what caused political turmoil in Mexico, the power struggle that brought a gen...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 58: Canary Island Descendants More than 290 years ago, 16 families from the Spanish Canary Islands, off the coast of Northwest Africa, embarked on a yearlong journey through sea and land. They settled just footsteps from the Alamo near modern-day Main Plaza, where they began to lay out a village. We reveal the remarkable legacy the Canary Island...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 57: Spanish Texas Mission San Antonio de Valero - the Mission we know today as the Alamo - moved to its current location in 1724, making this year its 300th anniversary. We reveal the history of Spanish Texas: what Mission life was like, and the artifacts that survived the centuries to tell the story. Plus, we host a conversation with a Spanish...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 56: Connecting The San Antonio Missions San Antonio’s Spanish missions were more than churches. They were communities that planted roots so deep, they grew our city into a place known all over the world.  We reveal the stories behind each of San Antonio’s missions, show the connections forged over time, and how they’ve remained community foundat...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast! Episode 55: Mexican Constitution Of 1824 In October 1824 - 200 years ago this month - the people of Mexico drafted their first Constitution. It’s known today as the Mexican Constitution of 1824. We reveal why history remembers this document, how it led to the key players in the Alamo’s story making their way to Texas, and why what happened to the Const...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 54: Celebrating Texas Archaeology Month This October, the Alamo is celebrating Texas Archaeology Month. Visitors to the Alamo are often astonished to learn our archaeology team is still discovering artifacts that continue to shape our understanding of the site’s history. We reveal the latest finds from the Battle of the Alamo and even from befor...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 53: The Alamo Visitor Center & Museum Construction Kickoff This week the Alamo marks an extraordinary new chapter in the site’s 300-year history, with the official construction kickoff of The Alamo Visitor Center and Museum. We reveal the latest plans for the ambitious space, what you can expect to see as you walk through each gallery, and t...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 52: The Alamo's Medal Of Honor History In just a matter of days, real life heroes will walk the Alamo grounds. They’ve received the United States’ highest award for military valor in action: the Medal of Honor. We reveal the special gathering taking place to honor these deserving veterans, the stories of Medal of Honor recipients who actual...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 51: Hispanic Heritage Month Right now, the Alamo is marking Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s observed from September 15 through October 15 each year in the United States, and encompasses the independence anniversaries of seven Latin American countries, including Mexico. We reveal several new initiatives the Alamo is launching in time for Hispanic H...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 50: September 11th At The Alamo September 11 is a day that needs no year to explain its meaning, a day forever marked in our memories. As we vow to never forget its horrors, history reminds us that September 11 has important ties to Texas history, in unexpected ways. We roll back time to reveal what September 11 meant during the Republic of Texa...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 49: The Real Sam Houston A victorious Texas General, a lifelong American politician, and a trusted friend of the Indigenous community. We reveal the real Sam Houston: how running away from home changed the course of his life, the path that placed him on the road to revolution, and his prominent foothold in the political establishment. Featuring...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 48: Surrounded! The Alamo Augmented Experience The Alamo will soon unveil a new interactive experience inside the Long Barrack. It’s called, “Surrounded! The Alamo Augmented Experience – History Like You’ve Never Seen It.” We reveal how this augmented reality experience works; the painstaking level of detail it shows, crafted by experts on two c...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 47: World Heritage Festival The location we know today as the Alamo was founded in 1724 as Mission San Antonio de Valero, the first modern settlement of San Antonio. The mission, along with four others in San Antonio, represent the largest concentration of Spanish Colonial missions in North America, earning these historic grounds a coveted World...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 46: The Real David Crockett A frontiersman, a soldier, a community leader, a state legislator, a U.S. Representative, an author - and a coonskin cap-wearing celebrity. Who was the real David Crockett? We reveal the folk hero's humble beginnings, his unlikely path to that fateful morning defending the Alamo, and what separates the real-life...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 45: The Real William Barret Travis He's best known for three words: "Victory or Death." But who was the real William Barret Travis? We reveal the man behind the famous letter, addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World," the varied ways this Alamo Defender is remembered by history, and how his writt...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 44: Heirlooms & Keepsakes - A Collection Expert's Advice Every collection tells a story. Here at the Alamo, our collection of thousands of artifacts tells the story of this historic site. You may have a collection, too - family photos, stamps, baseball cards - that tells a more personal story. We reveal an Alamo collection expert's...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 43: Treasures Of The Alamo - A Call For Memorabilia Calling all Alamo enthusiasts! It's your chance to be a part of history by donating your cherished Alamo memorabilia to the upcoming Visitor Center and Museum. We reveal our latest initiative, "Treasures Of The Alamo: A Call For Memorabilia" and explain the kinds of items the Ala...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 42: Myths & Legends Of The Alamo After the Battle of the Alamo, just a few survivors remained to share the story. Their firsthand accounts quickly spread. But in this pre-digital era, the stories evolved to include some of the myths and legends we still hear today. Today we reveal some of the biggest tall tales, from Travis' line in the...

Stories Bigger Than Texas: The Alamo Podcast Episode 41: Presidential Connections To The Alamo The recent Independence Day in the United States creates a time of reflection. The country is 248 years old. Texas has been apart of it for about 179 years. Today we reveal all the U.S. Presidents who have been to the Alamo or impacted its history: the speeches they gave, the photos they took, and how th...