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That would be north of Bracketsville (Ft Clark Springs, where the Black Seminole Cemetery is at). Closed down a couple of years ago IIRC, disputes between surviving heirs.

Here's a diagram of the Alamo at the time of the battle.

The natural assumption is to assume that the defended compound lay inside the present Alamo grounds, behind the low barracks.

Instead the present Alamo grounds lie mostly OUTSIDE the defended compound, the defended area centered upon where the modern street crosses out front.



As luck would have it, I was hauling a busload of kids around today.

The Alamo is one of five San Antonio Missions. Mission Conception is the only one that never collapsed, been an active parish the whole time IIRC.

This is how it looked to Gentilz....



Not sure if that same angle is doable today, there's a public restroom and a National Park Service Visitor Center.

Here's what it looks like from the street...



Notable in that maybe 200 yards the other direction from the photograph a battle between Mexican forces and Texians, in part under Jim Bowie was fought on the San Antonio River. Smithwick was there, its in his autobiography.

Further south again, on Roosevelte Ave on the South Side, Mission San Jose. This was where the Comanches came in spoiling for a fight after the Council House debacle.

In Gentilz's time....



...and today, and Gentilz is right, considerable topsoil was added to level the grounds in the CCC era when the place was being restored, such that the really interesting archeological strata lies about four feet under, a situation the Park Service is comfortable with. Protected by dirt, it'll be there if and when they decide to excavate.

Note the facade is undergoing restoration...



About the only section of original outside plaster left, showing how colorfully the missions were painted in their heyday...



Next one south, and across the river, Mission San Juan.

My favorite, not sure why. Pertinent to this thread, elements of the Frontier Regiment were stationed at all these different missions at one time or another, all except the Alamo laying south of town as it was at that time.

The church at this mission was never finished, the original granary was used as the church throughout. Still an active parish today, continually IIRC until 1890 or so when a hurricane stalled out over San Antonio, tearing the roof off.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Sharpshin/Hays7.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Sharpshin/hays34.jpg[/img]

Note, this mission facade is being restored too.

Maybe a mile behind this mission, across the San Antonio River, lies Stinson Field and the Texas Air Museum, wherein resides one of only eight surviving Focke-Wulf 190's

Finally the southernmost mission, Mission Espada....

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Sharpshin/Hays5.jpg[/img]

Attached now are presently occupied priest's quarters, notable for the quality of their gardens and hummingbird feeders. All except the Alamo are presently active Catholic churches and several among their congregations can trace their ancestry to the original mission era.

Note the line of some original internal compound walls, restored in the CCC era.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Sharpshin/Hays36.jpg[/img]

Not bad for a bunch of 270+ year-old churches

Birdwatcher