SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio has handed the Cenotaph over to the State of Texas just as it is about to undergo costly repairs.
City Council voted Thursday to transfer ownership of the downtown monument to the Texas General Land Office, one of the partners in the ongoing $550 million Alamo redevelopment plan.
Fencing is currently surrounding the Cenotaph, which was built in the 1930s as a memorial to the soldiers who died at the Alamo. The foundation needs major work and engineers are studying the inside of this empty tomb to determine how much work needs to be done.
It’s expected to be an expensive project, but now the state will be footing the bill for restoration.
The transfer of responsibility comes as construction continues on a massive facelift for the Alamo that will virtually redefine what visitors see when they come to one of the state's premiere historical attractions. But one thing that won’t change is the location of the Cenotaph.
This monument has been a source of controversy and strong emotion. There have been previous reports of vandalism to the memorial and even failed bids to relocate the monument, despite the city's desire to do so.
In 2018, the city announced plans to move the Cenotaph 500 feet to the south to better tell the Alamo story. But the backlash was severe, and in 2020 the Texas Historical Commission overwhelmingly voted to keep the Cenotaph in place.
Now the Cenotaph, titled “The Spirit of Sacrifice,” needs repairs. The foundation is crumbling, and engineers say rainwater has penetrated the monument, causing it to crack and putting it at risk of breaking apart. They're now studying how much damage needs fixing inside.
The restoration work is scheduled to begin in July and conclude by early 2025.
Texas General Land Office Commissioner Dawn Buckingham called Thursday's development "monumental," adding she was committed to ensuring it "will forever stand in its place and be preserved for future generations."
"As a Texas Senator, I threw down the legal challenge to keep this important and impactful memorial in its place, and I am overjoyed to be entrusted with its safekeeping," she said. "The sacrifice and honor encompassed in the stone of this precious monument live in the hearts of all Texans."
Meanwhile, the Alamo Trust said City Council's vote "ensures that we can continue to preserve and enhance the Alamo's legacy for future generations."