Six Flags Over Texas

Our family lived in Arlington, Texas, for a while in the '90's. In fact, 3 of our 4 children were born in Dallas during our Texas years.

We lived in north Arlington, just about a mile or so down the road from the famous theme park, Six Flags Over Texas. I rode the Texas Giant (one of their huge roller coasters) when I was pregnant with my twins. OK, I didn't yet know I was pregnant, but it turned out that I was. I credit Zachary's and Ryan's love of roller coasters to their early exposure. :-)

Have you ever wondered how Six Flags got its name? It turns out that the original of the "Six Flags" theme park franchises was named as it was because there have been six literal flags flown over the state of Texas.

The first European flag to fly over the territory was the Spanish one, from 1519 - 1685, and then again from 1690 - 1821. Several Spanish explorers came to Texas during the early-to-mid 1500's; Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda mapped the coastline in 1519, and he was followed by de Vaca, Coronada, and de Soto. When no cities of gold and great wealth, which had been described by de Vaca to encourage Spanish settlement, were found by later explorers, Spain seemed to lose interest in the Texas territory and instead focused their attention on Florida.

In 1682, a Frenchman named La Salle came down from Canada and explored the area around the mouth of the Mississippi River, eventually moving westward into Texas. The French flag flew over the territory from 1685 - 1690. France's interest in Texas reignited Spain's interest in the land, and Spain's flag flew over the territory again until 1821.

In 1821, Mexico broke away from Spanish rule and the flag of the new Empire of Mexico flew over the territory until the end of the Texas Revolution in 1836. From 1836 - 1845, the flag of the Republic of Texas was flown.

Texas became the 28th state admitted to the Union in 1845, but seceded in 1861 during the Civil War. From 1861 - 1865, the Confederate flag flew over the land. Texas rejoined the United States of America in 1865, and has flown that flag ever since.