SAN ANTONIO, TX.- On Monday, the
Alamo installed six stunning bronze sculptures in its Cavalry Courtyard. Some statues are recognizable from their former locations at SeaWorld and the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, while others were crafted specifically for the Alamo Sculpture Trail, following the footpath from the Briscoe Western Art Museum to the Alamo.
Opening soon to the public, the new art display features historical figures from the Texas Revolution.
David Crockett (Artist: George Lundeen)
David Crockett was a frontiersman who became a well-known politician and humorist in early 19th century America. After losing his re-election bid in 1835, Crockett vowed to go to Texas where he expected to revive his political career. Instead, David Crockett became one of the best-known Alamo heroes.
William Barret Travis (Artist: Glenna Goodacre)
William Barret Travis had accomplished much before his death at the Alamo in 1836. He taught school, edited a newspaper, and passed the bar all before turning 21 years-old. Travis arrived at the Alamo in February 1836. His definitive cry, "Victory or Death," ensured that Texans remembered the Alamo.
José Antonio Navarro (Artist: Juan Dell)
Navarro represents the leadership native-born Tejanos provided Texas, as it underwent multiple changes in nationality during the 19th century. Though he is best-known for signing the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836, he also held elected office in the Republic of Texas, helped write Texas' first state constitution, and served as a Senator in the Texas State Legislature.
John William Smith, 'El Colorado' (Artist: Chris Navarro)
The very first Mayor of San Antonio under the Republic of Texas, John William Smith played an important role in early Texas history. In December 1835, he helped guide the Texans through the streets during the Battle of Béxar. Smith would later carry Travis' messages out of the Alamo to the colonies east in 1836, and he would be with the Texan Army at the Battle of San Jacinto.
James Bowie (Artist: Deborah Fellows)
A natural leader, Bowie played an important role in the Texas Revolution. Bowie and Travis served as co-commanders of the Alamo until Bowie became so ill that he was confined to his sickbed, where he was killed in the famous battle on March 6, 1836.
Susannah Dickinson & Angelina Dickinson (Artist: Bruce Greene)
Susannah Dickinson and her daughter Angelina Dickinson moved to Béxar with her husband, Almeron, in February 1836. During the Battle of the Alamo, they took shelter in the sacristy of the church. After the battle, they would be freed so that word of what had happened would spread. Susannah later remarried and would run a boarding house until her death in 1883.