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 "This completes the journey for me," Collins said in front of
a building across the street from the Alamo that will
temporarily house the collection while a planned $100 million
center to display the Phil Collins Alamo Collection is being
built.
"These artifacts are coming home," said Collins, 63, who became
fascinated by the Alamo while watching Fess Parker star as "Davy
Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier," while he was a small child
growing up in suburban London.
The items include the fringed leather pouch that Davy Crockett
carried from his home in Tennessee into Texas, then a part of
the Republic of Mexico, and the Alamo, which was built in the
1750s by Spanish colonists as a chapel to bring Christianity to
the native peoples of what is now Texas.
The pouch, containing two musket balls and two tortillas, was
recovered by a Mexican colonel following the 1836 battle between
the Mexican Army and Texas settlers fighting for independence
from Mexico, in which Crockett and nearly 190 other defenders
were killed.
Also included in the donation is an original Bowie knife that
Jim Bowie had in his possession during the battle, and one of
only four remaining rifles known to have been owned by Crockett.
"When I got older and became successful, I decided to spend my
money on original items from the Alamo rather than on Ferraris,"
Collins told a news conference in San Antonio.
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He said a handful of items will be kept in his home in Switzerland
because his 9-year-old son has also become fascinated with the
Alamo.
Collins said he was in San Antonio two years ago looking for a
museum to house his collection when the Texas General Land Office,
which had just taken over management of the Alamo, suggested he
donate them directly to the Alamo.
"God bless you, Phil Collins," Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson
said as he accepted the donation.
The Alamo, with its distinctive façade, is located in downtown San
Antonio and is the largest tourist attraction in Texas, attracting
about 2.5 million visitors a year.
A measure is set to be introduced in the Texas legislature when it
meets in January to declare Collins to be an "Honorary Texan," he
added.
Collins first became known as drummer and lead vocalist for the rock
group Genesis, later winning global fame as a soloist along with
numerous awards, including some for movie sound-tracks.
(Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Eric Walsh)
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