By Herb Moering

A centennial quilt, created by two Winter Texans, was officially presented to the City of Alamo at the February 20 city commission meeting. The quilt, created by Audry Stewart and Carrol Moering, is part of Alamo’s year-long celebration marking 100 years since its incorporation from a town to a city on April 26, 1924.

Several museum “Friends” along with the Centennial Queen, 102-year-old Wanda Boush, long time Alamo resident, were at the presentation where the Mayor J.R. Garza and commissioners indicated they were pleased with the gift to the city. The quilt will be on display first at the Alamo City Hall until the end of the year and then can be seen at the local museum starting in 2025.

The quilt idea was hatched at a Friends of the City of Alamo Museum meeting a year ago where the two women took on the project. Moering researched embroidery patterns and Stewart laid out the quilt after purchasing background fabric.

Several historic photographs from the City of Alamo Museum archives were printed on fabric with the help of the museum Director Alex Oyoque. Moering embroidered the pictures and Stewart sewed them on the quilt. A quilter finished the work on what the pair see as a piece of art.

Besides the names of “Friends” of the museum, there are three memorialized names—the late Alamo Fire Chief, historian and museum founder, Rolando Espinoza, and museum supporters, the late Cheddy Balli and the late Demaris Swint.

The quilt carries some important aspects of local history. Other events are planned for the rest of the year to call attention to the 100th anniversary of the city.

The next major event as part of the centennial celebration is the long-running Texas Independence Day parade on Saturday, March 2 at 11 a.m. Its theme is “Alamo Is Out of This World.”

March also has a program remembering the tragic train/truck crash in Alamo that drew national headlines, which took 29 lives on March 14, 1940. The Easter Extravaganza of egg gathering for the children is at the Nature Park on March 28.

April 27 will be the city’s “party of the century” celebrating the city’s many accomplishments. It will feature music, food, games, fireworks, and more from 4 to 9 p.m. in Central Park.

The annual Watermelon Festival and cookoff is another centennial event, which will be held May 11. July 3 is an Independence Day celebration, and Rancheritas National Hispanic-American Heritage will be noted in September, The Halloween and Red Ribbon events are in October, with Dia de los Muertos in November and the Christmas parade in December. Additional centennial events are still in the planning stages.