Join me for an A to Z Road Trip!
I’m taking you on a road trip with me by sharing travel photos for this year’s A to Z Blog Challenge. So come along as we explore some of my favorite offbeat, overlooked and just plain interesting places in Texas… and beyond!
Today is letter A:
Ashes of the Alamo Dead
What happened to the Alamo dead?
A sightseeing trip to San Antonio, Texas isn’t complete without a visit to the Alamo, however, few tourists realize that the remains of the Alamo soldiers are kept in a church a couple blocks away.
A disrespectful bonfire
Instead, Mexico’s general, Santa Anna, gave an order to have the soldier’s bodies drenched with oil and burned to a crisp. In an era when many people truly believed that they would need their body intact when Judgment Day came, a cremation such as this was a clear sign of disrespect. It must have smelled awful, too!
Secretly buried…and forgotten
After the fires burned out, the ash piles were left in place. It wasn’t until Texas regained control of San Antonio a year later that these cremains were shoveled into a coffin and secretly buried beneath the altar in San Fernando Cathedral!
A macabre surprise under the altar
In 1836, while remodeling the church, workers stumbled onto a dilapidated coffin full of ashes. These ashes were placed in a sarcophagus and put on public display, as you can see in the photo below:
See for yourself:
If you would like to see the Ashes of the Alamo Dead for yourself, head to San Fernando Cathedral (115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX). The sarcophagus is in the entryway on the lefthand door as you face the front of the church.
*****I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Come back tomorrow for the next letter in the alphabet!*****
Psst! Instagram, anyone?
If you are on Instagram, I’d be delighted to follow you! Simply follow my photo feed (@TuiSnider) on Instagram and I’ll follow you back!
What is the April A to Z Blog Challenge?
Each April, bloggers from all over the world participate in the April A to Z blog challenge, and you can too. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a great way to meet other bloggers.
To play along, all you do is make a blog post for each letter of the alphabet during April, then use the blog hop linky to visit as many other bloggers as you can. In addition to my personal blog here, I’m also writing A to Z posts for the the Story Dam writing community. You can check those out by clicking here: Story Dam’s Writing Quotes & Encouragement
Check out more April A to Z Blog Challenge Participants by clicking the link below:
Find out more about the April A to Z blog challenge, and check out the other participants!
![A2Z-BADGE_[2016]](http://storydam.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/A2Z-BADGE_2016-300x300.jpg){kind=icon}
Curious about my books? I’ve got 3, so far…
To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my best-selling travel guide:
UNEXPECTED TEXAS: Your Guide to Offbeat & Overlooked History, Day Trips & Fun Things to do near Dallas & Fort Worth
.
For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my best-selling travel guide to haunted places:
PARANORMAL TEXAS: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places near Dallas & Fort Worth
.
For a strange-but-true tale of Texas history, check out this bizarre piece of West Texas history:
The Lynching of the Santa Claus Bank Robber
Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?
FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: For updates on my offbeat travels, books, & other fun stuff (such as postcards from the road!) subscribe to my newsletter using the form below. Each week, I’ll let you know the Historic Cemetery Symbol of the Week, who Teal Gray & I are interviewing on our show that night, and any other fun or interesting news. You can also mix & mingle with me by clicking this link & “liking” my Facebook Author Page:
Tui Snider is an author, speaker, and photographer who specializes in North Texas travel, cemetery symbols, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”
Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas , Understanding Cemetery Symbols, and 100 Things to Do in Dallas - Fort Worth Before You Die.
Snider has several more books in progress, and enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website: TuiSnider.com.
Great post! I enjoyed all the information you gave us.
Have fun with the A to Z!
PS, Thanks for posting your link on FB, so I could see you were doing A to Z too.
Pat Nance (Trisha Faye)
http://www.vintagedazecolumn.wordpress.com
Oh – hey! I didn’t realize you and Pat Nance were one and the same. I love your blog! Thank you for dropping by and Happy A to Z-ing to you. :)
Thanks for sharing this info. I never knew about it. Whoa!
I’m gong to come back for more!
Happy AtoZ! :)
Crazy stuff, eh, Shalini? I just dropped by your blog and – wow – you are an amazing cook. Your blog post made my stomach growl! Thank you for dropping by and Happy A to Z-ing to you. :)
I didn’t realize this. I’ve seen the Alamo (kind of a small place, really, not what I expected) but had no idea about the remains of the heroes of that fight.
John Holton
Blogging from A to Z Challenge Co-Host
The Sound of One Hand Typing
Yes, it was news to me, too! The Alamo was super crowded the day I visited, but this place was empty. Felt like a secret! Thank you for dropping by. :)
I have visited the Alamo and found it fascinating. It’s been years, so thanks for the virtual tour and reminder. Nice way to start the challenge. @sheilamgood at Cow Pasture Chronicles
Like you, I hadn’t been to the Alamo for years. I think I was 5 or 6, in fact, last time I was there!
Thank you for swinging by and leaving a comment. :)
Interesting post. It’s always fun to learn something new. Good luck with the rest of the challenge.
Thank you, Ronel! Happy A to Z! I’m off to read your blog now…. :)