Post by bmoses on Dec 14, 2007 8:18:48 GMT -5
There have been a total of seventeen archaeological investigations carried out within the Alamo compound since 1966. Several early excavations that would not qualify as archaeology by today’s standards are also worth mentioning because of the information gained during the projects. I will briefly highlight each of the excavations and outline some of the main contributions of each one to Alamo archaeology.
(1) 1866 – Excavation of the Gibbs Building Foundation, Northwest Corner of Alamo Plaza
One of the earliest excavations to cut into the space of the Alamo compound occurred during the 1866 excavations of the foundation of the Gibbs Building on the northwest corner of Alamo Plaza. Several cannons were uncovered from a filled in portion of the Alamo Acequia. Property owner Samuel Maverick used some of the cannons to decorate his home and gave others away to friends. Eventually, most of the cannons were returned to the Alamo site where they are now on display.
(2)1936 – Tree Planting in Front of the Main Post Office at the North End of the Plaza
One of the more mysterious finds associated with the Alamo was the recovery of human remains during the 1936 tree planting in front of the main post office building north of Alamo Plaza. At the time of the discovery, the find was purported to be the remains of at least 37 individuals. Rumors swirled that the cemetery contained burials of early pioneers, Mexican soldiers, Texans, and Native Americans. The bones were initially re-interred in San Fernando Cemetery No. 2 and in 1957 were moved a new location about 100 yards away. In 1989, Dr. David Glassman, a Physical Anthropologist at Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, was allowed to exhume the bones and study the burials. Dr. Glassman determined that the burials were in fact the remains of Native Americans of varying ages. Due to the badly deteriorated condition of the remains, Glassman was only able to note the presence of seven different individuals.
(3) 1966 – Excavations in the Convento and Cavalry Courtyards (Greer 1967)
John Greer carried out the first modern archaeological excavations at the Alamo in 1966 under the direction of the State Building Commission. The excavations, carried out in June of that year, were the result of earlier pipe instillations and foundation work which had indicated that intact historic deposits were likely present. Seven areas in the Convento and Cavalry Courtyards were investigated revealing structural details about the convento as well as an earlier adobe structure in the area.
(4) 1970 – Test Excavations North of the D.R.T. Library (Sorrow 1972)
Prior to a planned addition of the D.R.T. Library, archaeological test excavations were undertaken by the Texas Archeological Project (Sorrow 1972). Although the area was soon discovered to be heavily disturbed, a portion of the Alamo Acequia was identified along with a nineteenth-century brick building foundation that cut across the acequia.
(5) 1973 – Excavations in the Cavalry Courtyard (Schuetz 1973)
One of the more extensive early archaeological projects was undertaken in the Cavalry Courtyard in 1973 by Mardith Schuetz. Initially, a hard packed caliche floor was encountered thought to have been laid down in the plaza by the U.S. Army Quartermaster’s Department. The eastern wall of the north courtyard was also exposed and found to extend north in line with the reconstructed east wall of the Convento Courtyard. In addition, four room foundations were identified inside the compound extending along the east wall and colonial-period artifacts were abundant.
(6) 1973 – Test Excavations East of the Restored Acequia (Hester, 1973)
The University of Texas at San Antonio carried out a small excavation project east of the restored Alamo Acequia (outside the Alamo compound) and encountered foundations of a nineteenth-century building that was erected in the area after the battle. There were two reports submitted for this project, a brief letter report to the Texas Antiquities Committee and an article in the Southern Texas Archaeological Association's Journal La Tierra [20(4):2-4] entitled "Remembering the Alamo: 20 Years of Archaeology by The University of Texas at San Antonio."
(7) 1975 – Backhoe trenching and excavation in Alamo Plaza (Fox et al. 1976)
Proposed landscaping in Alamo Plaza offered archaeologists an opportunity to search for the remains of the low barracks. A backhoe was used to locate the wall footings east of the south gate. In addition to the walls of the southern structure, a small portion of the lunette trench was also revealed.
(8) 1977 – Alamo Long Barracks Testing (Fox 1977)
In January, 1977, replacement of flagstone pavement in front of the Long Barracks gave archaeologists another opportunity to test at the Alamo. At the behest of the Texas Historic Commission, Anne Fox of UTSA-CAR oversaw a trenching project with the goal of detecting a possible acequia that had been observed in the 1966 John Greer excavations. The trench, dug in the street near the southwest corner of the Long Barracks, was 3.5 meters long and approximately 1.5 meters deep. When no acequia was encountered, it was decided to dig a second perpendicular trench in order to observe the nature of the foundation of the long Barracks. A thin caliche lens was observed at a depth of 55 cm and was presumed to date to the period of occupation by the US Army. Spanish Colonial artifacts were observed between 58cm and 128cm. No 1836 battle related artifacts or features were observed and no artifacts were collected at this time.
(9) 1977 – Excavations in Front of the Alamo Church (Eaton 1980)
Archaeological testing was required when the flagstone repaving project of 1977 approached the southwest corner of the Alamo church (Eaton 1980). Excavations revealed a great deal about the method of construction of the foundation of the church. During these excavations, the east end of the palisade fortification built there by General Cós in 1835 was also discovered and recorded. The palisade trench yielded a large number of artifacts related to the 1836 battle.
(10) 1979 – Excavations in the Radio Shack Building, Southwest Corner of the Alamo Compound (Ivey, unpublished)
In 1979, an archaeological salvage project was carried out in the Radio Shack Building which was to be razed to make way for the Paseo del Alamo, a new city park linking Alamo Plaza to the San Antonio River Walk. Archaeology was conducted at the site by CAR archaeologists between July of 1979 and June of 1980. The foundation of the western wall of the Alamo as well as adobe buildings and an acequia channel were uncovered and recorded. In all, almost half of the site was excavated by archaeologists before bull dozers were allowed to raze the building. The exposed features were later reconstructed above ground in the park. A report on this project has not yet been published.
(11) 1979/80 – Excavations Along the North Wall of the Cavalry Courtyard (Ivey and Fox 1997)
Beginning in 1979, plans were initiated to replace the stone north wall of the Calvary Courtyard. The old wall was removed and test units were excavated to determine the nature of the deposit. Several previous wall constructions were discovered as well as an1835 fortification trench just inside the compound. The trench, transected by excavation units, was filled with stone rubble and battle period artifacts as well as the skull of a probable 1836 combatant. Other units toward the east revealed an early acequia thought to predate the construction of the mission.
(12) 1980 – The Thielepape House (Nickels 1997)
In January 1980, a testing project was undertaken east of Alamo Hall by the CAR prior to the installation of a drainage system behind Alamo Hall. Four hand-excavated units located the small adobe house which had been built in 1854 and was once owned by San Antonio Mayor Wilhelm Carl August Thielepape. Remains of a detached kitchen structure were also identified. Archival research conducted by Dave Nickels indicated that the house was demolished ca. 1936.
(13) 1988 – UTSA Field School at the Lunette in Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
Preparation for another Alamo Plaza landscaping project was the impetus for a UTSA archaeological field school in 1988 conducted by Dr. Fred Valdez and Anne Fox. The project investigated the lunette feature adjacent to the area of the earlier CAR project (1975) just outside the south wall. A second perpendicular trench was also identified east of the lunette.
(14) 1988 – Monitoring of Utility Trench at the Lunette, Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
Shortly after the field school ended in July of 1988, the CAR was asked to monitor excavation of a utility trench running north/south in the eastern lane of Alamo Street. The north-south trench bisected the lunette on the west side of the feature and exposed the lunette trench at the southwestern end. Like the east side of the lunette trench, the western portion was found to be intact and its location confirmed the size and shape of the feature. A small portion of the wall of the low barracks was also found in the trench profile and was in line with portions of the structure’s wall uncovered during the 1975 excavations.
(15) 1989 – UTSA field school east of low barracks in Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
A second UTSA field school was conducted the following year by Dr. Joel Gunn and Anne Fox. The targeted area was at the edge of the street where the palisade wall should have tied into the corner of the low barracks. Excavations were meticulously carried out and a continuation of the second trench from the south gate defenses to the west were encountered. Although no physical remains of the palisade wall were identified in that location, several springs eyes were encountered and recorded.
(16) 1991-1993 – Monitoring and Testing of the Alamo Sales Museum (unpublished)
In the early 1990s the DRT approved a plan to renovate and expand the Alamo Sales Museum. Archaeological investigations were conducted between July 1991 and April 1993 by Lone Star Archaeological Services under the direction of Alton K. Briggs. Much of the archaeological investigations occurred beneath the structure and included pre asbestos abatement testing, monitoring of asbestos abatement work, monitoring of basement and tunnel excavations, machine trenching within the project area, and recovery of selected artifacts. Areas north and east of the building were found to have been severely disturbed during the construction of the Alamo Sales Museum. The total number of artifacts recovered, excluding bone, was 4252. The largest single category was colonial ceramics with 1711 specimens. Amazingly, no artifacts were found that would have resulted from the Battle of the Alamo. A report on Brigg’s excavations is currently being compiled by the Center for Archaeological Research and the results of this report could alter these preliminary findings.
(17) 1995 – Alamo church wall and transept underpinning (Meissner 1996)
In 1995, plans were implemented to install metal plates into the south wall of the Alamo church in order to alleviate the rising groundwater in the limestone blocks (Meissner 1996). Archaeological investigations were undertaken both inside and outside the Alamo church in that area. The majority of artifacts recovered were deposited in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and few Colonial-period artifacts were found. Excavation in the interior of the church revealed a stone and clay rubble layer beneath the current flagstone floor. A few human bone fragments were observed near the corner of an excavation unit and that portion of the unit was immediately backfilled.
(18) 1997 – Monitoring of the Placement of the Wall of History Lights (Fox 1997)
The Alamo Lights project was a very limited monitoring project carried out by Anne Fox of UTSA-CAR. Archaeological monitoring was requested by the Texas Historical Commission as a row of lighting fixtures were installed in front of the new Wall of History. The project, located between the Convento’s eastern wall and the Alamo Sales Museum (about 10 feet east of the Convento wall) consisted of a shallow trench and 12 deeper holes dug for the placement of lighting fixtures. The holes excavated for the lights reached a maximum depth of 18 inches and only post-1836 deposits were encountered.
References
Cox, I. W.
1974 The History and Development of Alamo Plaza. In A Historical Overview of Alamo Plaza and Camposanto, edited by R. J. Hard, pp.1–35. Special Report, No. 20. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Eaton, J. D.
1980 Excavation at the Alamo Shrine (Mission San Antonio de Valero). Special Report, No. 10. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio..
Fox, A. A.
1992 Archaeological Investigations in Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, 1988 and 1989. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 205. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Fox, A. A., F. A. Bass, and T. R. Hester
1976 The Archaeology and History of Alamo Plaza. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 16. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Glassman, D. M.
1994 Description and Interpretation of Skeletal Remains from Burials on Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas. Report on file, Department of Anthropology, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos.
Greer, J. W.
1967 A Description of the Stratigraphy, Features, and Artifacts from an Archeological Excavation at the Alamo. State Building Commission Archeological Program, Report 3. Austin.
Ivey, J. E., M. B. Thurber, and S. Escobedo Of Various Magnificence, The Architectural History of the San Antonio Missions in the Colonial Period and the Nineteenth Century. Volume One of An Architectural and Administrative History of the San Antonio Missions in Two Volumes. National Park Service, Southwest Regional Office, Southwestern Cultural Resources Center, Professional Papers No 11, Santa Fe. Draft on file at Center For Archaeological Research.
Hester, T.R.
1986 Remembering the Alamo: 20 Years of Archaeology by The University of Texas at San Antonio. In La Tierra 20(4):2-4.
Meissner, B. A.
1996 The Alamo Restoration and Conservation Project: Excavations at the South Transept. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 245. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Nickels, David L.
An Archaeological Assessment of the Drainage Improvement Area on the Northeast Side of Alamo Hall, and Home of Former Mayor Wilhelm Thielepape (41BX507), San Antonio, Texas.
Schuetz, M. K.
1966 Historic Background of the Mission San Antonio de Valero. Report 1. State Building Commission Archeological Program, Austin.
1973 Archeological Investigations at Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Second Patio. Manuscript on file. Office of the State Archeologist, Texas Historical Commission, Austin.
Sorrow, W. M.
1972 Archeological Salvage Excavations at the Alamo (Mission San Antonio de Valero) 1970. Report No. 4. Texas Archeological Salvage Project Research, Austin.
(1) 1866 – Excavation of the Gibbs Building Foundation, Northwest Corner of Alamo Plaza
One of the earliest excavations to cut into the space of the Alamo compound occurred during the 1866 excavations of the foundation of the Gibbs Building on the northwest corner of Alamo Plaza. Several cannons were uncovered from a filled in portion of the Alamo Acequia. Property owner Samuel Maverick used some of the cannons to decorate his home and gave others away to friends. Eventually, most of the cannons were returned to the Alamo site where they are now on display.
(2)1936 – Tree Planting in Front of the Main Post Office at the North End of the Plaza
One of the more mysterious finds associated with the Alamo was the recovery of human remains during the 1936 tree planting in front of the main post office building north of Alamo Plaza. At the time of the discovery, the find was purported to be the remains of at least 37 individuals. Rumors swirled that the cemetery contained burials of early pioneers, Mexican soldiers, Texans, and Native Americans. The bones were initially re-interred in San Fernando Cemetery No. 2 and in 1957 were moved a new location about 100 yards away. In 1989, Dr. David Glassman, a Physical Anthropologist at Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, was allowed to exhume the bones and study the burials. Dr. Glassman determined that the burials were in fact the remains of Native Americans of varying ages. Due to the badly deteriorated condition of the remains, Glassman was only able to note the presence of seven different individuals.
(3) 1966 – Excavations in the Convento and Cavalry Courtyards (Greer 1967)
John Greer carried out the first modern archaeological excavations at the Alamo in 1966 under the direction of the State Building Commission. The excavations, carried out in June of that year, were the result of earlier pipe instillations and foundation work which had indicated that intact historic deposits were likely present. Seven areas in the Convento and Cavalry Courtyards were investigated revealing structural details about the convento as well as an earlier adobe structure in the area.
Depth to 1836 surface in North Courtyard - ca 46 cm
Depth to 1836 surface in Convento Courtyard - ca 61 cm
(4) 1970 – Test Excavations North of the D.R.T. Library (Sorrow 1972)
Prior to a planned addition of the D.R.T. Library, archaeological test excavations were undertaken by the Texas Archeological Project (Sorrow 1972). Although the area was soon discovered to be heavily disturbed, a portion of the Alamo Acequia was identified along with a nineteenth-century brick building foundation that cut across the acequia.
(5) 1973 – Excavations in the Cavalry Courtyard (Schuetz 1973)
One of the more extensive early archaeological projects was undertaken in the Cavalry Courtyard in 1973 by Mardith Schuetz. Initially, a hard packed caliche floor was encountered thought to have been laid down in the plaza by the U.S. Army Quartermaster’s Department. The eastern wall of the north courtyard was also exposed and found to extend north in line with the reconstructed east wall of the Convento Courtyard. In addition, four room foundations were identified inside the compound extending along the east wall and colonial-period artifacts were abundant.
(6) 1973 – Test Excavations East of the Restored Acequia (Hester, 1973)
The University of Texas at San Antonio carried out a small excavation project east of the restored Alamo Acequia (outside the Alamo compound) and encountered foundations of a nineteenth-century building that was erected in the area after the battle. There were two reports submitted for this project, a brief letter report to the Texas Antiquities Committee and an article in the Southern Texas Archaeological Association's Journal La Tierra [20(4):2-4] entitled "Remembering the Alamo: 20 Years of Archaeology by The University of Texas at San Antonio."
(7) 1975 – Backhoe trenching and excavation in Alamo Plaza (Fox et al. 1976)
Proposed landscaping in Alamo Plaza offered archaeologists an opportunity to search for the remains of the low barracks. A backhoe was used to locate the wall footings east of the south gate. In addition to the walls of the southern structure, a small portion of the lunette trench was also revealed.
Depth to 1850 Plaza - 80 cm
1836 Surface - removed
Depth to Bottom of Lunette Trench - 180 cm
(8) 1977 – Alamo Long Barracks Testing (Fox 1977)
In January, 1977, replacement of flagstone pavement in front of the Long Barracks gave archaeologists another opportunity to test at the Alamo. At the behest of the Texas Historic Commission, Anne Fox of UTSA-CAR oversaw a trenching project with the goal of detecting a possible acequia that had been observed in the 1966 John Greer excavations. The trench, dug in the street near the southwest corner of the Long Barracks, was 3.5 meters long and approximately 1.5 meters deep. When no acequia was encountered, it was decided to dig a second perpendicular trench in order to observe the nature of the foundation of the long Barracks. A thin caliche lens was observed at a depth of 55 cm and was presumed to date to the period of occupation by the US Army. Spanish Colonial artifacts were observed between 58cm and 128cm. No 1836 battle related artifacts or features were observed and no artifacts were collected at this time.
(9) 1977 – Excavations in Front of the Alamo Church (Eaton 1980)
Archaeological testing was required when the flagstone repaving project of 1977 approached the southwest corner of the Alamo church (Eaton 1980). Excavations revealed a great deal about the method of construction of the foundation of the church. During these excavations, the east end of the palisade fortification built there by General Cós in 1835 was also discovered and recorded. The palisade trench yielded a large number of artifacts related to the 1836 battle.
Depth to 1836 Surface - 22 cm
Depth to Bottom of Palisade Feature - 67 cm
(10) 1979 – Excavations in the Radio Shack Building, Southwest Corner of the Alamo Compound (Ivey, unpublished)
In 1979, an archaeological salvage project was carried out in the Radio Shack Building which was to be razed to make way for the Paseo del Alamo, a new city park linking Alamo Plaza to the San Antonio River Walk. Archaeology was conducted at the site by CAR archaeologists between July of 1979 and June of 1980. The foundation of the western wall of the Alamo as well as adobe buildings and an acequia channel were uncovered and recorded. In all, almost half of the site was excavated by archaeologists before bull dozers were allowed to raze the building. The exposed features were later reconstructed above ground in the park. A report on this project has not yet been published.
(11) 1979/80 – Excavations Along the North Wall of the Cavalry Courtyard (Ivey and Fox 1997)
Beginning in 1979, plans were initiated to replace the stone north wall of the Calvary Courtyard. The old wall was removed and test units were excavated to determine the nature of the deposit. Several previous wall constructions were discovered as well as an1835 fortification trench just inside the compound. The trench, transected by excavation units, was filled with stone rubble and battle period artifacts as well as the skull of a probable 1836 combatant. Other units toward the east revealed an early acequia thought to predate the construction of the mission.
Depth to 1836 surface - ca 61 cm
Bottom of 1836 trench - 1.16 m
(12) 1980 – The Thielepape House (Nickels 1997)
In January 1980, a testing project was undertaken east of Alamo Hall by the CAR prior to the installation of a drainage system behind Alamo Hall. Four hand-excavated units located the small adobe house which had been built in 1854 and was once owned by San Antonio Mayor Wilhelm Carl August Thielepape. Remains of a detached kitchen structure were also identified. Archival research conducted by Dave Nickels indicated that the house was demolished ca. 1936.
(13) 1988 – UTSA Field School at the Lunette in Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
Preparation for another Alamo Plaza landscaping project was the impetus for a UTSA archaeological field school in 1988 conducted by Dr. Fred Valdez and Anne Fox. The project investigated the lunette feature adjacent to the area of the earlier CAR project (1975) just outside the south wall. A second perpendicular trench was also identified east of the lunette.
Depth to 1850 Plaza - 80 cm
1836 Surface - removed
Depth to Bottom of Lunette Trench - 180 cm
(14) 1988 – Monitoring of Utility Trench at the Lunette, Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
Shortly after the field school ended in July of 1988, the CAR was asked to monitor excavation of a utility trench running north/south in the eastern lane of Alamo Street. The north-south trench bisected the lunette on the west side of the feature and exposed the lunette trench at the southwestern end. Like the east side of the lunette trench, the western portion was found to be intact and its location confirmed the size and shape of the feature. A small portion of the wall of the low barracks was also found in the trench profile and was in line with portions of the structure’s wall uncovered during the 1975 excavations.
(15) 1989 – UTSA field school east of low barracks in Alamo Plaza (Fox 1992)
A second UTSA field school was conducted the following year by Dr. Joel Gunn and Anne Fox. The targeted area was at the edge of the street where the palisade wall should have tied into the corner of the low barracks. Excavations were meticulously carried out and a continuation of the second trench from the south gate defenses to the west were encountered. Although no physical remains of the palisade wall were identified in that location, several springs eyes were encountered and recorded.
(16) 1991-1993 – Monitoring and Testing of the Alamo Sales Museum (unpublished)
In the early 1990s the DRT approved a plan to renovate and expand the Alamo Sales Museum. Archaeological investigations were conducted between July 1991 and April 1993 by Lone Star Archaeological Services under the direction of Alton K. Briggs. Much of the archaeological investigations occurred beneath the structure and included pre asbestos abatement testing, monitoring of asbestos abatement work, monitoring of basement and tunnel excavations, machine trenching within the project area, and recovery of selected artifacts. Areas north and east of the building were found to have been severely disturbed during the construction of the Alamo Sales Museum. The total number of artifacts recovered, excluding bone, was 4252. The largest single category was colonial ceramics with 1711 specimens. Amazingly, no artifacts were found that would have resulted from the Battle of the Alamo. A report on Brigg’s excavations is currently being compiled by the Center for Archaeological Research and the results of this report could alter these preliminary findings.
(17) 1995 – Alamo church wall and transept underpinning (Meissner 1996)
In 1995, plans were implemented to install metal plates into the south wall of the Alamo church in order to alleviate the rising groundwater in the limestone blocks (Meissner 1996). Archaeological investigations were undertaken both inside and outside the Alamo church in that area. The majority of artifacts recovered were deposited in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and few Colonial-period artifacts were found. Excavation in the interior of the church revealed a stone and clay rubble layer beneath the current flagstone floor. A few human bone fragments were observed near the corner of an excavation unit and that portion of the unit was immediately backfilled.
Not excavated below 1836 depth.
(18) 1997 – Monitoring of the Placement of the Wall of History Lights (Fox 1997)
The Alamo Lights project was a very limited monitoring project carried out by Anne Fox of UTSA-CAR. Archaeological monitoring was requested by the Texas Historical Commission as a row of lighting fixtures were installed in front of the new Wall of History. The project, located between the Convento’s eastern wall and the Alamo Sales Museum (about 10 feet east of the Convento wall) consisted of a shallow trench and 12 deeper holes dug for the placement of lighting fixtures. The holes excavated for the lights reached a maximum depth of 18 inches and only post-1836 deposits were encountered.
References
Cox, I. W.
1974 The History and Development of Alamo Plaza. In A Historical Overview of Alamo Plaza and Camposanto, edited by R. J. Hard, pp.1–35. Special Report, No. 20. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Eaton, J. D.
1980 Excavation at the Alamo Shrine (Mission San Antonio de Valero). Special Report, No. 10. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio..
Fox, A. A.
1992 Archaeological Investigations in Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, 1988 and 1989. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 205. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Fox, A. A., F. A. Bass, and T. R. Hester
1976 The Archaeology and History of Alamo Plaza. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 16. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Glassman, D. M.
1994 Description and Interpretation of Skeletal Remains from Burials on Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas. Report on file, Department of Anthropology, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos.
Greer, J. W.
1967 A Description of the Stratigraphy, Features, and Artifacts from an Archeological Excavation at the Alamo. State Building Commission Archeological Program, Report 3. Austin.
Ivey, J. E., M. B. Thurber, and S. Escobedo Of Various Magnificence, The Architectural History of the San Antonio Missions in the Colonial Period and the Nineteenth Century. Volume One of An Architectural and Administrative History of the San Antonio Missions in Two Volumes. National Park Service, Southwest Regional Office, Southwestern Cultural Resources Center, Professional Papers No 11, Santa Fe. Draft on file at Center For Archaeological Research.
Hester, T.R.
1986 Remembering the Alamo: 20 Years of Archaeology by The University of Texas at San Antonio. In La Tierra 20(4):2-4.
Meissner, B. A.
1996 The Alamo Restoration and Conservation Project: Excavations at the South Transept. Archaeological Survey Report, No. 245. Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Nickels, David L.
An Archaeological Assessment of the Drainage Improvement Area on the Northeast Side of Alamo Hall, and Home of Former Mayor Wilhelm Thielepape (41BX507), San Antonio, Texas.
Schuetz, M. K.
1966 Historic Background of the Mission San Antonio de Valero. Report 1. State Building Commission Archeological Program, Austin.
1973 Archeological Investigations at Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Second Patio. Manuscript on file. Office of the State Archeologist, Texas Historical Commission, Austin.
Sorrow, W. M.
1972 Archeological Salvage Excavations at the Alamo (Mission San Antonio de Valero) 1970. Report No. 4. Texas Archeological Salvage Project Research, Austin.
