Texas

flag of Texas
The Lone Star State
Admitted December 29, 1845

While Texas has had a variety of flags flown (like the familiar “Six Flags Over Texas”), it has only had one official state flag.

The flag was designed and adopted as the third official flag of the Republic of Texas. Though the original designer is unknown, it was officially drawn by Peter Krag and approved by President Mirabeau B. Lamar on January 25, 1839.

When Texas joined the U.S. in 1845 it kept its Lone Star Flag which has flown ever since. Texas was, however, technically flagless from 1879 to 1933 after state civil statues were revised and the flag code not renewed.

The flag was officially re-adopted August 31, 1933.

Composition

The Texas flag is a horizontal bicolor of white and red and features a vertical stripe of blue at the hoist.

Upon the blue stripe, a white five-pointed star is charged, centered.

In the 2001 North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) flag survey of United States and Canada flags, the flag of Texas was ranked 2nd out of 72.

flag of Texas

Iconography

The lone star on the flag represents Texas as the Lone Star State, established as a symbol years before when Texas gained independence from Mexico.

Texas statute says the flag “represents ALL of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, State, and Country.”

Some attribute (unofficial) meaning to the star’s five points, which dates back to a 1948 issue of Frontier Times that claimed the star represents characteristics of a good Texan: loyalty, prudence, fortitude, broadmindedness, and righteousness.

five-pointed star

Colors

The Texas flag uses the same red, white, and blue as the U.S. national flag.

According to state statute, the red represents bravery, the white stands for purity, and the blue represents loyalty.

Blue
#002147
Cable No. 70075 Old Glory Blue
PMS 282c
Red
#bb133e
Cable No. 70180 Old Glory Red
PMS 193C
White
#ffffff
Cable No. 70001 White
Pantone White

Construction

The Texas flag should have a proportion of 2:3.

The blue vertical stripe is 1/3 the width of the fly, with the white star at its center measuring 3/4 the width of the stripe.

Pike

Texas law specifies the height of the pike (flagpole) to be 2.5 times as long as the flag’s hoist, with an optional finial of a star or spearhead.

If the flag is permanantly mounted, the flag may be decorated with gold fringe and the pike may have a gold cord or tassles.

construction sheet for the flag of Texas

The Six Flags Over Texas

The display of the six flags of Texas was popularized during the 1936 Centennial Celebration. It showcases the flags of the six nations that have had sovereignty over some or all of Texas.

  • a quadrisection oof red and white; the red quadrants are charged with a gold castle and the white quadrants with a crowned red lion

    Spain

    Spain ruled over Texas from 1519–1685 and 1690–1821.

  • a field of white covered in rows of gold fleur-des-lis

    France

    France ruled over Texas from 1684–1690 for Fort Saint Louis and 1800–1803 as French Louisiana.

  • a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red; the white stripe is charged with an eagle with a snake in its beak and cactus at its feet

    Mexico

    The Mexico flag was flown from 1821–1835.

  • the Texas flag

    Republic of Texas

    The third flag that flew for the Republic of Texas from 1836–1845.

  • thirteen horizontal stripes of alternating red and white; a blue canton with twenty-eight white stars

    United States

    The flag of the U.S. when Texas joined in 1845.

  • a horizontal triband of red and white; a blue canton is charged with a ring of seven white stars

    Confederate States

    Texas seceded and joined the Confederacy from 1861–1865.

Sources