The last of the seven original cannons that were fired by the defenders of the Alamo during the 1836 battle will be returned to San Antonio next weekend after being refurbished at Texas A&M University, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The Aggie Corps of Cadets will perform a ceremonial 'transition' to mark the completion of the cannon renovations.
The cannons were buried by Santa Ana's troops after capturing the Alamo, and many were discovered by accident between 1852 and the early Twentieth Century. Two were found on what was then the Maverick Property, now the location of a hotel on the corner of Alamo and Houston Streets northwest of the Alamo.
The cannons have been in the possession of the Alamo for decades, but have never undergone the rigorous renovation that they received at the A&M Conservation Research Lab, which specializes in restoring artifacts.
Researchers have determined that the cannons came from various sources, and some were ship cannons built to signal other ships and were never meant to be used in battle. They date from the late 18th to early 19th centuries, and were manufactured in England, Ireland, and Spain and transferred to the New World at various times before winding up at The Alamo.
The cannons will be on display as part of the reimagining of Alamo Plaza and its transition into a world class historic and cultural destination.
PHOTO: Mark Guerrero, Texas A&M University Marketing and Communications