The mission turned fortress in San Antonio, Texas, is The Alamo. Originally called Mission San Antonio de Valero, it began as a Spanish Catholic mission in 1718 and later became a fortified military compound.
The mission was secularized in 1793 and eventually abandoned. In the early 19th century, Spanish and Mexican soldiers used the site, and the name “Alamo” became associated with it, probably because troops connected with the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras had links to an area known for cottonwood trees—the meaning of alamo in Spanish.
The Alamo became famous during the Texas Revolution. In 1836, Mexican forces under General Santa Anna captured the compound after the Battle of the Alamo, in which defenders including James Bowie and Davy Crockett were killed. Today, the site is a museum and part of the San Antonio Missions UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fort Sumter and Alcatraz are unrelated American landmarks.