McMullen County Standard

The McMullen County Flag was designed by Tom and Helen Shelton, County Historical Illustrators, and made by the County Historical Committee. The flag was displayed for the first time on August 30, 1968 during the 18th Annual Rodeo. Mrs. Thomas Morgan and Mrs. Alonzo Martin did the embroidery work and delicate inlay necessary to complete the intricate design.

The Artist designed the flag emphasizing the basic tenants in the historic formation of the county. These included naturalism and Christianity. The colors of cream, brown, green and red are indigenous to the county's terrain and flora and are symbolic of the inhabitant's natural way of life. The inhabitants chief economy being their natural resources, land and livestock, permitting the people to live close to nature.

Picture of the McMullen County Standard county flag.

Click here to view a photo of the flag.

Symbols and their Meanings

Cream - the color of caliche and signifies JOY. This is a ceremonial flag and will be used on festive and joyful occassions.

Brown - the color of the good earth and signifies HUMILITY.

Green - the cactus and mesquite symbolize HOPE, neccessary through droughts.

Red - the 3 red cactus blooms symbolize the BLESSED TRINITY

Prickly Pear and Mesquite - used because McMullen County is one of the main "brush county" counties and they are the dominant plant species in this area. The four prickly pear pads signify the precincts of the county and the two mesquite leaves and their 33 leaflets represent the Protestant Bible: The Old and New Testaments and their component books.

Stole - the use of the Ionic and Roman Cross represents the Catholic heritage of our area and the ethnic background of this element being primarily Irish and Mexican.

The original painting of the Flag by Tom Shelton is in the Court Room in Tilden. The flag is in our Museum. The sketch was drawn by Christopher Coughran in 1975.

Source: McMullen County History (McMullen County History Book Committee 1981) article written by Tom Shelton on page 751.