Online exhibit shows 40 historic Texas flags
Published 2:37 pm, Friday, December 21, 2012
Those interested in the flags that tell the Texas story now can view the state's official collection online.
For the first time, the Texas State Archives has posted digital images, with extensive notes, online at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission website, www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/flags/index.html.
The earliest flags date from the Texas Revolution in 1835-36 and include three Mexican battle flags captured during the Battle of San Jacinto.
"There's a lot of interest in the Alamo and the Texas Revolution around the world," said John Anderson, preservation officer for the state archives.
"I get calls from people on the East Coast who have no real connection to Texas, yet they are making a replica of a Texas flag," Anderson said. "They want it to be as accurate and precise as possible. They want to know every detail on the stitching and materials."
For such requests, the new online exhibit includes conservators' reports that document how the flag was made and preserved.
Three of the flags featured online are also on display in the lobby of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, 1201 Brazos St., in Austin. They will remain on display until Feb. 7.
It is difficult to display the flags for long periods because exposure to light is damaging, which sometimes is frustrating to enthusiasts who would like to display a particular flag at an event, Anderson said.
"They don't understand why we can't just bring it out," he said.
For more information on the flags and where they will be displayed, view the agency's Facebook page at facebook.com/tslac.