(photo by Kevin Stillman)
The six flags of Texas are well known, but in Nacogdoches—the oldest town in Texas—three more flags found their way into the history books. The earliest of these lesser-known flags is an emerald banner for the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition (1812 to 1813), a short-lived army that controlled territory east of San Antonio. The second flag, a red-striped Lone Star flag, represents Dr. James Long and his expedition to Nacogdoches from 1819 to 1821 before he was captured by Spanish troops and killed. And the third flag, carrying the words “Independence, Freedom, and Justice” belongs to the Republic of Fredonia, proclaimed by Texas settler Haden Edwards from 1826 to 1827 following the revocation of a land grant from the Mexican government. For more than two decades, the city has paid homage to its rebellious history by kicking off the holiday season in style during Nine Flags Festival (Nov. 4-Dec. 20). Festivities include a parade and an installation of more than 3 million lights downtown.
