Evolution of the Lone Star Flag
The Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos
in March 1836 allegedly adopted a flag for
the Republic that was designed by Lorenzo de
Zavala. The design of de Zavala's flag is
unknown, but the convention journals state
that a "Rainbow and star of five points
above the western horizon; and a star of six
points sinking below" was added to de
Zavala's flag. There was a suggestion that
the letters "T E X A S" be placed around the
star in the flag, but there is no evidence
that the Convention ever approved a final
flag design. Probably because of the hasty
dispersion of the Convention and loss of
part of the Convention notes, nothing
further was done with the Convention's
proposals for a national flag. A so-called
"Zavala flag" is sometimes flown in Texas
today that consists of a blue field with a
white five-pointed star in the center and
letters "T E X A S" between the star points,
but there is no historical evidence to
support this flag's design.
The first official flag of the
Republic, known as David G. Burnet's
flag, was adopted on Dec. 10, 1836, as
the national standard, "the conformation of
which shall be an azure ground with a large
golden star central."
The Lone Star Flag
On Jan. 25, 1839, President Mirabeau B.
Lamar approved the adoption by Congress of a
new national flag. This flag consisted of "a
blue perpendicular stripe of the width of
one-third of the whole length of the flag,
with a white star of five points in the
center thereof, and two horizontal stripes
of equal breadth, the upper stripe white,
the lower red, of the length of two-thirds
of the whole flag." This is the Lone Star
Flag, which later became the state flag.
Although Senator William H. Wharton proposed
the adoption of the Lone Star Flag in 1844,
no one knows who actually designed the flag.
The legislature in 1879 inadvertently
repealed the law establishing the state
flag, but the legislature adopted a new law
in 1933 that legally re-established the
flag's design.
The state flag's colors represent the
same virtues as they do in the national
flag: Red means bravery; white, purity; and
blue, loyalty.
The Texas Flag Code was first adopted in
1933 and completely revised in 1993. The
following is a summary of the rules
concerning the proper display of the state
flag:
Flown out-of-doors, the Texas flag should
not be flown earlier than sunrise nor later
than sunset unless properly illuminated. It
should not be left out in inclement weather
unless a weatherproof flag is used. It
should be flown with the white stripe
uppermost except in case of distress. When
the flag is displayed against a wall, the
blue field should be at the flag's own right
(observer's left). When the flag is
displayed vertically, the blue stripe should
be uppermost and the white stripe should be
to the state flag's right (observer's left).
The state flag should be flown on all state
holidays and on special occasions of
historical significance, and it should fly
at every school on regular school days.
If the state and national flags are both
carried in a procession, the national flag
should be on the marching right (observer's
left) and state flag should be on the
national flag's left (observer's right). If
the state and national flags are displayed
from crossed staffs, the state flag should
be on the national flag's left (observer's
right) and behind the national flag's staff.
No flag other than the national flag should
be placed above or, if on the same level, to
the state flag's right (observer's left).
The state flag should be underneath the
national flag when the two are flown from
the same halyard. When flown from adjacent
flagpoles, the national flag and the state
flag should be of approximately the same
size and on flagpoles of equal height, and
the national flag should be on the flag's
own right (observer's left). The state flag
should neither be flown above the flags of
other U.S. states, nations and international
organizations on the same flagpole, nor be
flown from a higher adjacent flagpole.
The state flag should never be used for
any utilitarian or strictly decorative
purpose. No advertising should be placed
upon the flag or flagstaff, and no picture
of the flag should be used in an
advertisement. When the state flag is in
such condition that it is no longer a
suitable emblem for display, it should be
destroyed, preferably by burning.
Pledge to the Texas Flag
A pledge to the Texas flag was adopted by
the 43rd Legislature. It contained a phrase,
"Flag of 1836," which inadvertently referred
to the David G. Burnet flag instead of the
Lone Star Flag adopted in 1839. In 1965, the
59th Legislature changed the pledge to its
current form:
"Honor the Texas flag;
I pledge allegiance to thee,
Texas, one and indivisible."
A person reciting the pledge to the state
flag should face the flag, place the right
hand over the heart and remove any easily
removable hat. The pledge to the Texas flag
may be recited at all public and private
meetings at which the pledge of allegiance
to the national flag is recited and at state
historical events and celebrations. The
pledge to the Texas flag should be recited
after the pledge of allegiance to the United
States flag if both are recited.
State Song
The state song of Texas is "Texas, Our
Texas." The music was written by the late
William J. Marsh (who died Feb. 1, 1971, in
Fort Worth at age 90), and the words by
Marsh and Gladys Yoakum Wright, also of Fort
Worth. It was the winner of a state song
contest sponsored by the legislature and was
adopted in 1929. The wording has been
changed once: Shortly after Alaska became a
state in Jan. 1959, the word "Largest" in
the third line was changed by Mr. Marsh to
"Boldest." The text follows:
Texas, Our Texas
Texas, our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, our Texas! So wonderful, so great!
Boldest and grandest, Withstanding ev'ry
test;
O Empire wide and glorious, You stand
supremely blest.
Chorus
God bless you, Texas!
And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth,
Thro'out the ages long.
Refrain
Texas, O Texas! Your freeborn Single Star,
Sends out its radiance To nations near and
far.
Emblem of freedom! It sets our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto And glorious
Alamo.
Texas, dear Texas! From tyrant grip now
free,
Shines forth in splendor Your Star of
Destiny!
Mother of Heroes! We come your children
true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, Our Faith, Our
Love for you.
State
Seal
The design of the obverse (front) of the
Great Seal of the State of Texas consists of
"a star of five points, encircled by olive
and live oak branches, and the words, 'The
State of Texas'." (State Constitution, Art.
IV, Sec. 19.) This design is a slight
modification of the Great Seal of the
Republic of Texas, adopted by the Congress
of the Republic, Dec. 10, 1836, and
readopted with modifications in 1839. An
official design for the reverse (back) of
the seal was adopted by the 57th Legislature
in 1961, but there were discrepancies
between the written description and the
artistic rendering that was adopted at the
same time. To resolve the problems, the 72nd
Legislature in 1991 adopted an official
design " . . . the design for the reverse
side of the Great Seal of Texas shall
consist of a shield, the lower half of which
is divided into two parts; on the shield's
lower left is a depiction of the cannon of
the Battle of Gonzales; on the shield's
lower right is a depiction of Vince's
Bridge; on the upper half of the shield is a
depiction of the Alamo; the shield is
circled by live oak and olive branches, and
the unfurled flags of the Kingdom of France,
the Kingdom of Spain, the United Mexican
States, the Republic of Texas, the
Confederate States of America, and the
United States of America; above the shield
is emblazoned the motto, "REMEMBER THE
ALAMO", and beneath the shield are the
words, "TEXAS ONE AND INDIVISIBLE"; over the
entire shield, centered between the flags,
is a white five-pointed star . . ." Since
the description of the design of the reverse
of the seal was contained in a concurrent
resolution rather than a bill, the design is
not a matter of law but can be considered
the intent of the Legislature. (CR 159, 72nd
Legislature, May 1991).
State Citizenship Designation
The people of Texas usually call themselves
Texans. However, Texian was
generally used in the early period of the
state's history.
State Motto
The state motto of Texas is "Friendship."
The word, Texas, or Tejas, was the Spanish
pronunciation of a Caddo Indian word meaning
"friends" or "allies." (Acts of 1930, fourth
called session of the 41st Legislature, p.
105.)
Other Symbols
State Tree - The pecan is the state
tree of Texas. The sentiment that led to its
official adoption probably grew out of the
request of Gov. James Stephen Hogg that a
pecan tree be planted at his grave. (Acts of
1919, 36th Legislature, regular session, p.
155; also Acts of 1927, 40th Legislature, p.
234.)
State
Flower - The state flower of Texas is
the bluebonnet, also called buffalo clover,
wolf flower and el conejo (the rabbit). The
bluebonnet was adopted as the state flower,
on request of the Society of Colonial Dames
in Texas, by the 27th Legislature, 1901.
(See acts of regular session, p. 232.) The
original resolution designated Lupinus
subcarnosus as the state flower, but a
resolution (HCR 44) signed March 8, 1971, by
Gov. Preston Smith provided legal status as
the state flower of Texas for "Lupinus
Texensis and any other variety of
bluebonnet."
Bluebonnet, the official State Flower,blooms
in most parts of Texas in April.
State
Bird - The mockingbird (Mimus
polyglottos) is the state bird of Texas,
adopted by the Legislature at the request of
the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs. (Acts
of 1927, 40th Legislature, regular session,
p. 486.)
A young mockingbird. Dallas Morning News
file photo.
State Air Force - The
Confederate Air Force, based in Midland
at the Midland International Airport, was
proclaimed the official air force of Texas
by the 71st Legislature in 1989.
The
Pleurocoelus was a 50-foot-long,
plant-eating, lizard-hipped dinosaur. Its
tracks can be viewed at
Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen
Rose in North Central Texas. Sketch courtesy
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; artist,
G. Aaron Morris.
State Dinosaur - The
Brachiosaur Sauropod, Pleurocoelus, was
designated the official state dinosaur by
the 75th Legislature in 1997.
State
Dish - Chili was proclaimed the
Texas state dish by the 65th Texas
Legislature in 1977.
Chili, the state dish. Dallas Morning News
file photo.
State
Fiber and Fabric - Cotton was
designated the official state fiber and
fabric by the 75th Legislature in 1997.
Cotton has been grown in Texas since the
1740s, brought by Spanish missionaries.
Texas Almanac staff photo.
State Fish - The Guadalupe bass,
a member of the genus Micropterus
within the sunfish family, was named the
official state fish of Texas by the 71st
Legislature in 1989. It is one of a group of
fish collectively known as black bass.
State
Folk Dance - The square dance was
designated the official state folk dance by
the 72nd Legislature in 1991.
The square dance is the official folk dance
of Texas.
Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of Transportation.
State
Fruit - The Texas red grapefruit
was designated the official state fruit by
the 73rd Legislature in 1993.
Texas red grapefruit is grown in the Lower
Rio Grande Valley. Photo courtesy
Texas Dept. of Transportation.
State
Gem - Texas blue topaz, the
official Texas gem, is found in the Llano
uplift area, especially west to northwest of
Mason. It was designated by the 61st
Legislature in 1969.
This Texas blue topaz is cut in the Lone
Star Cut, which is the official state
gemstone cut. Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation
State
Grass - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua
curtipendula), a native grass found on
many different soils, was designated by the
62nd Legislature as the state grass of Texas
in 1971.
Sideoats grama, the state grass.
Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation.
State
Insect - The Monarch butterfly
(Danaus plexippus) was designated the
state insect by the 74th Legislature in
1995.
Monarch butterfly on a blossom of Mexican
bush sage.
Texas Almanac staff photo.
State Mammals
- The armadillo was designated the
state small mammal; the longhorn was
designated the state large mammal; and the
Mexican free-tailed bat was
designated the state flying mammal by the
74th Legislature in 1995.
The
state small mammal, the armadillo, is
commonly found as far north and east as
Oklahoma and Mississippi. Photo courtesy
Texas Dept. of Transportation.
Amigo
Yates, a longhorn on the Yates Ranch south
of Abilene, currently has the largest horn
spread in the world -- 103 inches. Dallas
Morning News file photo.
This
once-injured Mexican free-tailed bat is in
the hand of a bat rehabilitator. You should
never pick up a bat you find on the ground,
since it is probably sick. Dallas Morning
News file photo.
State
Musical Instrument
- The guitar was named the official
musical instrument of Texas by the 75th
Legislature in 1997.
The guitar plays a part in
most of the different types of music popular
in Texas. Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation.
State Native Pepper - The
chiltepin was named the official state
native pepper of Texas by the 75th
Legislature in 1997.
State
Pepper - The jalapeño pepper was
designated the official state pepper by the
74th Legislature in 1995.
Jalapeno, the official State Pepper.
State
Plant - The prickly pear cactus
was designated the official state plant by
the 74th Legislature in 1995.
The prickly pear's delicate blossoms come
in many colors.
Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation.
State
Reptile - The Texas horned lizard
(Phrynosoma cornutum) was named the
state reptile of Texas by the 73rd
Legislature in 1993.
The horned lizard, also called the horny
toad, was once found all over the state.
Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation.
State Shell - The lightning
whelk (Busycon perversum pulleyi)
was named the official state shell by the
70th Legislature in 1987. One of the few
shells that open on the left side, the
lightning whelk is named for its colored
stripes. It is found only on the Gulf Coast.
State
Ship - The battleship Texas was
designated the official state ship by the
74th Legislature in 1995.
The Battleship Texas can be visited at
the San Jacinto State Historical Park near
Houston. Photo courtesy Texas Dept. of
Transportation.
State
Shrub - The crape myrtle
(Lagerstroemia indica) was designated
the official state shrub by the 75th
Legislature in 1997.
Crape Myrtle, the official State Shrub.
Dallas Morning News file photo.
State Sport - Rodeo was
named the official sport of Texas by the
75th Legislature in 1997.
Jason Milam of Cleburne hangs on in the
saddle bronc riding competition during the
Walt Garrison All-Star MS Rodeo in 1966.
Dallas Morning News file photo.
State
Stone - Petrified palmwood, found
in Texas principally in counties near the
Texas Gulf Coast, was designated the
official state stone by the 61st Legislature
in March 1969.
Petrified palmwood. Photo courtesy Texas
Dept. of Transportation.
State Vegetable - The Texas sweet
onion was designated the official state
vegetable by the 75th Legislature in 1997.
