On a visit to the Alamo you may have noticed, apart from the crush of people, that the walls were awash with plaques, some of them descriptive with others serving as memorials to the slain defenders.

Over the decades, the growing number of historical displays has had a tendency to create a museum atmosphere that unfortunately has detracted from the original intent: to hold the Alamo Church as a shrine.

The director of the Alamo, Brad Breuer, and the DRT's Alamo Committee, headed by Mary Carmack, in a collaborative effort have undertaken major steps to restore a sense of reverence to the shrine. In doing so are also preserving the very physical structure of the Alamo Church itself.

It was discovered that there was an adverse chemical reaction between the metal of the plaques and the stone of the church. So, to preserve the stone, it was decided to remove the plaques from the walls and relocate them.

The descriptive plaques will be taken outside and located in and around Alamo Plaza within the boundary of the state's property allowing wider public access and a more meaningful experience to the casual visitor. The bronze cast facsimile of William B. Travis' letter, will now reside at the head of the grassy area immediately in front of the chapel's entrance. All of the exterior plaques will be lit for night time viewing, which should free up the Alamo Rangers from having to answer an endless barrage of questions from curious tourists. It will also provide after-hours visitors access to information that wasn't available to them before.

The plaques carrying the names of the defenders will be placed together on wrought-iron stanchions near the altar at the rear of the church. This will increase emotional impact for the visitor when they see the names together. creating a more reflective atmosphere such as is present at the Vietnam memorial in Washington D.C. The effect will be heightened by soft focused lighting from a new lighting system.

The sacristy, which has normally been closed to the public, will now be opened. The flags representing the home states and countries of the defenders will now be positioned inside the chapel. The overall effect will make the shrine's interior appear larger and much more accessible while still maintaining a reverential ambiance.

When the Alamo courtyard's "Wall of History" was unveiled three years ago, it was an immediate success. Following that example, the Wayside Project was created. The Wayside Project will feature a series of artist's renderings, by noted military artist Gary Zaboly. These will be placed strategically at each entrance and near the Long Barracks' museum. Each illustration will depict the Alamo compound as it existed in 1836, but with a difference. The drawing will recreate the view from the perspective of an observer standing in that very spot. The result will be that visitors will see the Alamo in a totally different light and learn how expansive the original compound actually was. We will never look at the Alamo the same way again.

The restored chapel and the Wayside Project will have its grand unveiling in special ceremonies on February 23, 2000.