The Texas flag carries the confidence of the state it represents.
A single white star commands a field of blue, balanced by broad bands of white and red. Its clean geometry, colors and unmistakable silhouette create an image that feels strong, independent and Texan.
That clarity is part of its power. The flag is instantly recognizable from a courthouse lawn, a front porch or a highway. Blue speaks to loyalty, white to purity and red to bravery, while the lone star stands for Texas itself.
Its modern form became official during the Republic of Texas. In December 1838, Senator William H. Wharton introduced legislation containing the design that became the national flag. Congress approved the measure in January 1839, and President Mirabeau B. Lamar signed it days later.
The artwork preserved by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission was drawn by Peter Krag. His rendering of the flag and seal remains the strongest surviving visual record of the flag’s adoption.
Montgomery tells the story through Charles Bellinger Stewart, a physician, public servant and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Stewart moved to Montgomery in 1837, and local tradition has long connected him to the flag’s creation.
That connection lives throughout the community. A Stewart-associated drawing is preserved in the state archives. A copy is displayed at the N.H. Davis Pioneer Complex and Museum, and a bronze statue of Stewart stands at Cedar Brake Park.
Historians continue to study the design’s authorship, while Montgomery’s place in the story has become part of Texas civic memory. In 1997, the Texas House formally commemorated Montgomery County as the flag’s birthplace.
As Texas approaches its bicentennial, the symbol remains big and bright as the stars at night, fixed deep in the heart of every Texan. In 1836, the single five-pointed star was adopted as the Republic’s “peculiar emblem.” Nearly two centuries later, the Lone Star Flag still hollers Texas.
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Nearly two centuries later, the Lone Star Flag still hollers Texas.