Battle of the Alamo gradually became known as a battle site rather than a former mission. The Texas Legislature purchased the land and buildings in the early part of the 20th century and designated the Alamo chapel as an official Texas State Shrine. The Alamo has been the subject of numerous non-fiction works beginning in 1843. Most Americans, however, are more familiar with the myths and legends spread by many of the movie and television adaptations, including the 1950s Disney mini-series "Davy Crockett" and John Wayne's 1960 film "The Alamo". Under President Antonio López de Santa Anna, the Mexican government began to shift away
Legacy of the Battle of the Alamo According to Bill Groneman's "Battlefields of Texas", the Alamo has become "the most popular tourist site in Texas". Many of the Mexican officers who participated in the battle left memoirs, although some were not written until decades after the battle. Among those who provided written accounts of the battle were Antonio López de Santa Anna, Vicente Filisola, José Enrique de la Peña, José Juan Sánchez Navarro, Juan N. Almonte, and Francisco Becerra. Texians Juan Seguín and John Sutherland also left memoirs, although some historians believe Sutherland was not at the Alamo and wrote his memoirs from hearsay. Of the Texian