Detail from the Palo Pinto County Courthouse, Palo Pinto, Texas. Designed by Preston M. Geren and M.A. Howell, this Texas Renaissance-style courthouse was constructed in 1940 with limestone from the 1882 courthouse. © Nicolas Henderson, 2012.

Thank you for visiting the online home of the Vexillological Association of the State of Texas.

Founded on February 16, 1991, in Austin, Texas, VAST is a non-profit and non-political organization devoted to researching, preserving, and publicizing the history and use of flags in Texas.

We welcome all interested persons as members. You should complete a membership application after reading the bylaws.

For more information on VAST or to report problems with this website, email info@texflags.org.

A systematic study of flags and their meanings

“Vexillology is the scientific study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.” Whitney Smith, Flags Through the Ages and Across the World 31 (McGraw-Hill 1975).

The origin of the word

“The word vexilloid comes from the Latin word ‘vexillum,’ meaning flag, and it is from this root that the words vexillology (the study of flags), vexillologist (a flag historian), vexillophilist (a flag collector), and vexillary (a flag bearer) are derived.” Robert M. Jarvis, The History of Florida’s State Flag, 18 Nova L. Rev. 1037, 1039 n.8 (1994)