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Remember the Alamo


Yuccaland—Chihuahua, Mexico On this day in 1836, the Alamo, a mission fortress in San Antonio, Texas, fell to the Mexican army.

In 1835 Anglo-American settlers in the Mexican province of Texas sought independence. At the Battle of the Alamo, the bravery of the outnumbered Texas rebels became legendary. A month later, at the battle of San Jacinto, the cry "Remember the Alamo" rallied the settlers to defeat the Mexican army and ultimately declare the Republic of Texas.

This historic event shows that the United States and Mexico share not only a border, but also history and culture. William Henry Holmes painted today's artwork, Yuccaland—Chihuahua, Mexico, across the present-day border from San Antonio.

To learn more about U.S. and Mexican landscapes, visit our website Panoramas: the North American Landscape in Art. This virtual exhibition was developed with museum and heritage partners in Canada and Mexico.

Pictured: William Henry Holmes, 1846–1933, Yuccaland—Chihuahua, Mexico, n.d., watercolor, 3 3/4 x 5 7/16 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of James Oliver Murdock.