'Victory or death' letter to return to Alamo

During the siege of the Alamo 177 years ago, Alamo commander William Barrett Travis wrote a letter that went down in history as he requested aid. “Victory or death,” wrote Travis at the close of his letter on Feb. 24, 1836.

The 13-day battle at the site of the Alamo ended with the Alamo defenders overwhelmed by the Mexican army, and the Alamo being overtaken by the Mexican army. The battle at the Alamo became a rallying cry in Texas' war with Mexico, and Texas' eventual independence from Mexico.

The letter, currently on display in the Texas State Capitol building in Austin, will make its first return to the site where it was written. This piece of history will be displayed Feb. 23 through March 7 in the main hall of the Alamo, coinciding with the anniversary of the battle.

Visitors to the Travis Letter exhibit will receive a full-size color reproduction of the letter.

The arrival ceremony for the letter will be held at 4 p.m. on Feb. 22.

Families who travel to San Antonio to see a piece of American history will have plenty to see in this most-visited city in the Lone Star State. The following are some highlights of a family trip to San Antonio:

Hub of activity

San Antonio's Riverwalk is a bustling row of shops and sights, all along a shallow portion of the San Antonio River on which visitors can take boat rides. Young architect Robert H. Hugman has the first vision for the Riverwalk in 1929; in 1938 the “San Antonio River Beautification Project” allowed for the funds to create the project.