Texas (U.S.)

Last modified: 2002-11-30 by rick wyatt
Keywords: texas | united states | mexico | republic of texas |
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by Mario Fabretto, 24 February 1998

• Legal Description
• Six flags over Texas
• Republic of Texas
• Maritime Flag
• Pilot Flag
• Governor's Flag
• State Pledge
• State Military Crest
  
  
• Texas Flag Code
• Historical Texas Flags

Subdivisions

See also:

• The Dragon flag which represents the Chinese-Texans
• Yacht Clubs
• 254 Texas Counties website
• Republic of the Rio Grande
• States of the United States
• United States of America

In 1846, a star was added, representing Texas, bringing the total number of stars on the U.S. flag to 28. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.

Effective September 1, 2001, the laws related to the Texas flag were repealed and re-enacted as a part of the Texas Government Code as follows:

Sec. 3100.001. STATE FLAG. The state flag is the 1839 national flag of the Republic of Texas.

Sec. 3100.002. DESCRIPTION: IN GENERAL.
      (a) The state flag is a rectangle that:
            (1) has a width to length ratio of two to three; and
            (2) contains:
                  (A) one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag;
                  (B) two equal horizontal stripes, the upper stripe white, the lower stripe red, each having
                        a length equal to two-thirds the length of the flag; and
                  (C) one white, regular five-pointed star:
                        (i) located in the center of the blue stripe;
                        (ii) oriented so that one point faces upward; and
                        (iii) sized so that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is
                              equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe.
      (b) The red and blue of the state flag are:
            (1) the same colors used in the United States flag; and
            (2) defined as numbers 193 (red) and 281 (dark blue) of the Pantone Matching System.
      (c) The red, white, and blue of the state flag represent, respectively, bravery, purity, and loyalty.

Sec. 3100.003. DESCRIPTION UNDER GOVERNOR'S RULES. In addition to each requirement prescribed by Section 3100.002, the governor by executive order published in the Texas Register may prescribe changes or other rules relating to the description of the state flag.

Sec. 3100.004. STATE FLAG MOUNTED ON FLAGSTAFF.
      (a) If the state flag is mounted on a flagstaff:
            (1) the flag should be attached at the peak of the staff;
            (2) the staff should be at least 2_1/2 times as long as the flag's hoist; and
            (3) if the staff has a finial, the finial should be a star or a spearhead.
      (b) If the state flag is permanently mounted on a flagstaff:
            (1) the flag may be decorated with gold fringe; and
            (2) the staff may be decorated with gold cord or tassels.

The reverse of the State Seal of Texas features the "Six Flags Over Texas" (not to be confused with the amusement park of the same name).Running clockwise, starting in the 7 o'clock position, they are:

Republic of Mexico
Spain (post-1785)
Royal France (fleur-de-lis semy, I believe it's called?)
Republic of Texas (same as the current state flag)
Confederate States of America (first national, with 7 stars)
United States of America (28 stars - Texas was the 28th state)

The obverse of the seal was adopted in 1836, but the reverse described above was designed in 1961 and isn't really seen very often.
Andrew Rogers, 18 March 1997

The Republic of Texas was the name of Texas before it joined the Union and that the current flag was the legal national flag from 10 December 1836 until 25 January 1839 (that's why the "Republic of Texas" proponents use it).
Norman Martin, 20 June 1999

Texas has had two naval ensigns, the 1824 green-white-red flag adopted in 1835 and the 1836 13 red-and-white striped flag with a white lone star in the blue canton. The 1836 flag replaced the 1835 flag, and the 1836 flag ceased to exist when Texas joined the U.S. on 29 Dec 1845. Texas currently has no maritime flag.
Charles Spain, 5 June 1996

by Devereaux Cannon, 9 September 1998

Charles A. Spain in his "The Flags and Seals of Texas" states that this flag is just a "Pilot Flag" used only as an auxiliary flag similar to the US Coast Guard ensign. Since he is on the spot with the Texas primary sources, I am inclined to defer to his opinion.
Devereaux Cannon, 9 September 1998

by Joe McMillan, 27 February 2000

The Texas legislature enacted a comprehensive rewrite of the laws relating to its flag and seal in 1993 (which I drafted). The statute specifically granted the governor the authority to adopt a flag for the governor's official use, but neither the former or current governor (Ann W. Richards and George W. Bush, respectively) has done so. What I hear through unofficial channels is that the governor's office (both former and current) is concerned that adopting a flag will appear "imperial," and thus be a political liability. I thought we were giving the governor flexibility, but it apparently was a mistake not to impose a specific design. I am working on correcting this in the 1997 session of the legislature.

By the way, there has been a de facto governor's flag from the late 1960s-early 1970s to the late 1980s. It consists of the state arms (a lone star encircled by live oak and olive branches) on a light blue circle, all on a dark blue field with a white star in each corner.
Charles Spain, 5 June 1996

"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible."
Kevin McNamara, 13 August 1999

by Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000

The state military crest, which is the crest used in the coats of arms of units of the National Guard, as granted by the precursor organizations of what is now the Army Institute of Heraldry. The official Institute of Heraldry blazon is "A mullet argent encircled by a garland of live oak and olive proper."
Joe McMillan, 21 April 2000