There are major efforts going on right now to preserve and redesign the grounds of San Antonio’s historic Alamo. A top priority is preserving the mission’s church – because right now, it’s crumbling. Moisture is causing the limestone to flake off and fall away. And much of the moisture is drawn through the walls by a convenience that some might consider mandatory during the summer – air conditioning.
Michael Hardy has been tracking this development. He’s a freelance writer who, like many if not most Texans, holds the Alamo near and dear to his heart.
Two of his relatives died at the Alamo – one before the historic battle, and one during.
“It was a point of pride until recently, now we’re not so sure,” Hardy says.
Hardy has another tie to the Alamo – his maternal grandfather owned the company that installed the first air conditioning at the site in 1961.
Hardy says he felt guilty when he realized that a member of his family was at least in part responsible for the Alamo’s crumbling walls.
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– How the Alamo cooled down before air conditioning was installed
– Whether his grandfather might have thought the air conditioning was an issue
– What the options are for a long-term fix
