On Saturday, August 26th, beginning at 2 p.m. the Columbia Historical Museum will present a program on early Texas flags. Come and see some of the flags that flew over Texas before and during the Texas War for Independence. Visit with Texas Navy Admiral Michael Bailey as he tells stories about who made them, where they flew and what they represent to Texians today. To date local historians have documented over 50 flags that flew in Texas. Bailey will present histories on a selection of these flags that were flown in Texas during its colonial period. For over 20 years Michael Bailey has made his home in Brazoria County and has worked with many historical groups to tell the story of the county’s vibrant history. He now works as the curator of the Columbia Historical Museum.
The program will be at the Columbia Historical Museum located at 247 East Brazos Avenue in West Columbia, Texas. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The Columbia Historical Museum is in the former First Capital Bank building. The museum opened its doors to the public in 1992. Since then, the museum has been dedicated to collecting, preserving and telling the stories of the rich local history. The museum also maintains the Rosenwald Columbia School, which is one of the few schools of its type preserved and open for touring.
Six governments have controlled Texas and six national flags have flown over Texas since the first European exploration of the region by Cortez in 1519. The six flags are the Spanish flag from 1519 to 1685 and again from 1690 to 1821, the flag designating the region under France from 1685 to 1690, Texas under Mexico from 1821 to 1836, Texas as a republic from 1836 to 1845, Texas in the Confederacy during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, and Texas in the United States from 1845 to 1861 and again following the Civil War from 1865 to the present day. The small town of Columbia, known today as West Columbia, served as the first capitol of the new Republic of Texas from late 1836 to early 1837 when the capitol was relocated to Houston. Texas was the 28th state when the Republic of Texas became a part of the United States in 1845.
For more information about this August 26th program, contact the Columbia Historical Museum at (979) 345-6125.