The Alamo battle site showing signs of decay: researchers
By Jim Forsyth SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - The iconic Texas battle site, the Alamo, is decaying. Researchers at Texas A&M University have determined that the base of one of the decorative columns on the front of the San Antonio building, site of the famous 1836 Battle of the Alamo, has deteriorated by 2 to 2 1/2 inches (5 to 7 cm) since 1960. "Some might say that doesn't sound like a whole lot, but over time, it adds up to a significant amount, especially if that rate increases in the future," said Robert Warden, director of Texas A&M's Center for Heritage Conservation, which conducted the research in conjunction with the School of Architecture at the German-Jordanian University in Amman, Jordan. The Alamo was built in 1744 by Spanish settlers as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, one of five missions built along the San Antonio River to help Christianize the locals. It was most famously the site of a battle between Texas revolutionaries and the government of Mexico that left about 180 defenders - the entire Texan garrison - dead. The Alamo is situated in the middle of downtown San Antonio, the country's seventh largest city, and the researchers suspect that traffic fumes are worsening the deterioration. "The bases were originally rectangular solids adorned with medallions or floral patterns that, if you look at them from the side, now look scooped rather than straight," Warden said, adding that decay could be spotted as early as the 1930s. Architects will now construct 3-D models of the Alamo's limestone facade to better understand the depth of the erosion and the best way to go about stopping and repairing the damage. Over the years, the Alamo has become a symbol of perseverance in the face of long odds and the fight for liberty. The Alamo's iconic facade is recognized around the world and attracts some 2.5 million visitors every year. Alamo conservator Pam Rosser told Reuters the erosion is not a threat to the building, at least not yet. "Because of the age of the building, you're going to have a little bit of erosion, but it's nothing major," she said. "There are some projects that need to take place, but nothing is an emergency situation where we are going to have any drastic losses." (Editing by Karen Brooks and G Crosse)
