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Fort Worth, Texas (U.S.)

Tarrant County

image by Rob Raeside, 22 August 2014
based on City of Fort Worth website, 15 July 2004

Description of the flag
1968-2004 flag
1912 flag
The seal
Diocese of Fort Worth
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

See also:

Description of the flag

The city council of Fort Worth Texas, decided to change the flag of the city, making the new flag official on 6 July 2004.
Fred, 15 July 2004

1968-2004 Flag

4:7 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.

Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.

Design

The Fort Worth flag is a horizontal tribar of light blue, white, and green stripes in proportions of 2:3:2. Across the top stripe, in black block letters, is FORT WORTH, occupying most of the stripe. Centered on the green stripe, in similar letters, is TEXAS. The white stripe displays a frontal silhouette of a stylized black “Texas Longhorn” head stretching nearly the entire length of the flag.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

e blue stripe represents the space age to come (as foreseen in 1968). The white stripe depicts the Trinity River channel, and the green stripe symbolizes the green of the prairie. The longhorn head suggests one of the city’s nicknames, “Cowtown”, recalling Fort Worth’s early years, after railroads arrived, as a major center for the shipment of cattle.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

The city council and the art commission co-sponsored a contest for a city flag, the winner to receive $250.
Flag adopted: 4 September 1968 (official).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Designer

Winner of the prize for his design was Richard Pruitt, a commercial advertising artist and Fort Worth resident.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

More about the Flag

Of the 153 entries submitted in the flag contest, 42 finalists were displayed in the Fort Worth Art Center. The public voted for a favorite flag, but the judges chose a different design, since they were not bound by the public vote. The judges were Dr. Richard Fargo Brown, curator for the Kimbell Museum; Jack T. Holmes, a public relations executive; and Mrs. Edwin R. Hudson, Sr., president of the Tarrant County Historical Society.

In November 1969, a Fort Worth flag was taken to the moon on the Apollo 12 flight by Cmdr. Alan L. Bean, a former Fort Worth resident and a graduate of a high school there.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

1912 flag

image by Rob Raeside, 22 August 2014
Based on: www.fwcando.org

Description: The earlier flag of Fort Worth was apparently unofficial. A flag maker, J.J. Langever, designed it in 1912. Proportioned 4:7, the flag has a white field with three horizontal red stripes placed across its center creating alternating white and red stripes 25:3:3:3:3:3:25. Superimposed on the center of the field over the red stripes is an elaborate design in light blue (perhaps faded from an earlier darker blue). Centered above the lowest red stripe is a city skyline, its narrow sky filled with industrial smoke depicted over it. Resting on this portion is a sort of pillar on which a panther crouches, facing the hoist. A horse and a sheep support the pillar. Over the panther curves THE PANTHER CITY in blue. Centered above all is a five-pointed star, with half of each point shaded to give the appearance of three dimensions, and a halo of radiant lines around it. Below the skyline is a white rectangle bordered in blue, announcing "WE'RE FOR SMOKE", also in blue. All this is supported by what appears to be a white sphinx, an image popular at the time. Curved counter-clockwise below the image is another legend, ALL ROADS LEAD TO FT. WORTH, in blue. To illustrate this motto, 17 blue lines, apparently representing actual, individually labeled roads, emanate from behind the design in all directions.

The panther recalls another of the city's nicknames. "The Panther City", reportedly given to the city by travelers who had seen panthers in the brush near there, and even asleep on a city street, though no one seems to be certain about the name's origin. The "We're for Smoke" legend refers to the time before air pollution was a concern, when the city was courting heavy industry and factories with smoke stacks were common images of progress.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003 submitted by Jarig Bakker, 15 July 2004

Detail of image

A larger version of the flag was provided by Ethan Bell (click on image for larger version)

image by Ethan Bell, 15 May 2019

From the Fort Worth Telegram in Forth Worth, Texas
November 19, 1908:

City To Have Flag of Its Own, and Long May It Wave!
City Federationists Approve Suggestion - What’s Your Idea of Design and Colors? Commission Favors Plan
Author unknown

Fort Worth is to have a city flag.
The movement was started Thursday and was at once received with interest and encouragement. The City Federation of Women’s Clubs, an organization that has been at them helm of many city improvements, was responsible for the plan. In a letter to Mayor Harris and the commissioners they suggested that the flag have the names of the mayor and commissioners’ inscribed upon it. This, however, is contrary to regulations prohibiting the use of any lettering on the national colors. Mayor Harris and members of the commission feel that a city flag would be a fine thing. They can be counted upon officially to adopt the emblem when a suitable one is selected.

Mrs. Swayne Favors Plan
Mrs. J. F. Swayne, president of the City Federation and also a leading member in the Daughters of the American Revolution, is also heartily in favor of the plan. This organization with other patriotic bodies will likely be asked to take part in choosing a city emblem. Designs will be asked from all having ideas as to what the city flag should be. Philadelphia floats a city flag of blue and gold, bearing the city seal. Various ideas have already been put forward for a Fort Worth flag. Among the things suggested as appropriate to appear on a city flag are the Lone Star, the panther, a steer’s head, the bust of E. M. Daggett as it appears on the city seal, a view of the old fort and various combinations of one or more of these. Various colors have also been suggested and the movement is expected to arouse interest throuout [sic] the entire city within a few days. The Telegram will be glad to print suggestions on this matter.

A Civic Decoration
A city flag could be used to great advantage. It would naturally form the main part of civic decorations, together with the national colors and those of Texas. It would also be useful in marking public buildings, such as the city hall and Board of Trade, guiding strangers at once to the headquarters of municipal affairs.
It is hoped to have the city flag, designed, accepted officially and ready to unfurl Jan. 8. This is the date suggested by the Federation for the unfurling of a city flag, chosen because it is the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans. The date is chosen in the feeling that a strictly southern event should be commemorated by the exercises.

Federation’s Letter
In the communication to the commissioners, the federation insists that it’s [sic] mission is not to give money, but to spend it. The letter is as follows:
“To the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners — Dear Sirs: At the last meeting of the City Federation of Women’s Clubs in some way or other word came to us that some one [sic] of your honorable body had expressed a wish that the City Federation would present to the city a flag to be raised on state occasions over the city hall.
“Now, evidently, the gentleman or gentlemen who made the suggestion do or do not exactly understand the offices of the Federation. We spend most of our time getting other people to give money, and afterward wisely disburse it for the good of the city, and we are always ready to do our part along both of those lines.
“Therefore, after an open discussion of the matter it was moved and carried that the secretary write and suggest that in order to show the appreciation you have of the citizens who conferred your offices upon you, in the new venture of a commission government for the city, you collectively donate the sum required for the flag and the Federation will take pleasure in arranging all details for purchasing and putting up the same.
“Of course, the names of the mayor and commissioners should be inscribed somewhere on the flag, so it will be a perpetual reminder to the coming generation of Fort Worth people of the men who so wisely guided the civic affairs under the new dispensation.
“We await your action in this matter with much interest. We might get ready to unfurl this new ‘Old Glory’ to the breeze by Jan. 8, if you would hurry up. Very respectfully,
“MRS. J. J. JARVIS,
“Corresponding Secretary."

Paul Bassinson, 23 January 2021

Diocese of Fort Worth

image by Eugene Ipavec, 11 February 2010

The Diocese of Fort Worth consists of 56 congregations serving 24 North Central Texas counties. The flag is purple with the diocesan seal in the center. The seal can be seen at stmatthews-comanche.org/history_diocese_fort_worth.htm which also includes a history and description of the seal.
Ned Smith, 21 September 2009

The seal

image located by Paul Bassinson, 31 December 2019

Source: http://fortworthtexas.gov/uploadedImages/City_Secretary/CITY%20SEAL.jpg
Paul Bassinson, 31 December 2019