![[Flag of El Paso, Texas]](../images/u/us-txelp-l.gif)
3:5 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucciimage(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.
Last modified: 2021-04-24 by rick wyatt
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3:5 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.
See also:
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.
The field of El Paso’s flag is dark blue with a traditional city emblem, an augmentation of the city seal, in the center. The center of the emblem is a gray five-pointed star, half of each point shaded in black making it appear three-dimensional. The hoist side of the top point of the star is shaded, as are the corresponding sides of the other points. The star overlays a bright yellow sun with 35 equal rays emanating from its circumference. The sun is on a maroon field (described officially as “red-purple”), and is enclosed within a narrow white circle that forms the inner edge of a maroon ring around the sun, its outer edge also bordered in white. An open wreath of green olives leaves fills the sides of the ring. Above the ring is a wide heraldic ribbon, white on the front and maroon on the back. The ribbon is folded so that the front shows from about 10 to 2 o’clock, and its back ends hang down to 8 and 4 o’clock. On the ribbon appears CITY OF EL PASO in maroon in an Arial-type font. A shorter ribbon covers the lower central part of the ring, with TEXAS in the same letters.
The drawing accompanying the ordinance of adoption shows a flag of
3 by 5 feet. The emblem is positioned 17 inches from the edge of the
hoist and the fly, and 6 inches from the top and bottom. The emblem
measures 26 inches horizontally, and 24 inches vertically.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
No real distinction is made between white and silver on the flag, and
the red-purple portions appear as one color, although the intention was
to make the field around the sun a darker purple than the other maroon
areas. The ordinance of adoption mentions only “red-purple” and does
not specify two shades. Similarly, only “green” is mentioned, not “yellow-
green”.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
In 1960, a group of Girl Scouts wanted to embroider
a city flag, and as the project proceeded, they learned that the
city flag in council chambers had an incorrect city seal. The city administration
decided to re-design the flag and ultimately came up with a
new flag design deemed more authentic historically.
Flag adopted: 29 March 1962 (official).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
The city planning department, for the administration.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
The emblem on the flag dates to about
1880; it was enclosed in a cornerstone of a new city hall built in 1899.
When that city hall was demolished in 1958 to make way for a replacement,
the emblem was recovered. In addition to the star and radiant
sun, it also shows a spray of wheat on its dexter side and grapes and
grape leaves on its sinister side.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
From www.elpasotexas.gov/records/research_flag.asp :
"OFFICIAL FLAG OF THE CITY OF EL PASO
Until June of 1948, El Paso did not have a flag, official or unofficial. During that year a Resolution was passed creating an official flag, however the one manufactured in 1948 and displayed until 1950 was not in conformance with the Resolution. It rather resembled the design of the State Seal encircled by the words "City of El Paso, Texas".
The need for a new city flag was brought to light in 1960 by a group of Girl Scouts who wanted to embroider a flag for their City as a project, making it as specified by the City Council in 1948. To correct the error, the City Council had a flag designed and created, patterned after the emblem which was sealed in the cornerstone of the old City Hall, erected in 1899 and demolished in 1959. Due to the complex design, the girl scouts did not embroider the flag and it was machine made by a specialist. It was officially adopted by the City Council on March 29, 1962. The significance of the colors and symbols incorporated into the Official Flag of the City of El Paso are:
![[Flag of El Paso, Texas]](../images/u/us-txelp2.gif)
image by Tomislav Sipek, 23 February 2018
The flag of El Paso, Texas in use in February 2018 is different from the one
pictured above. This picture was posted by Gerald Abella on the FOTW Facebook
page:
https://www.facebook.com/.
Dave Fowler, 22 February 2018
![[Previous Flag of El Paso, Texas]](../images/u/us-txelp48a.gif)
image by Rob Raeside, 5 December 2014
Based on research by John Purcell, and published in American City Flags, El Paso had an earlier flag:
FORMER FLAGS: El Paso 1948-1960
"adopted its first flag on 17 June 1948. The ordinance of adoption specifies its design: Now therefore, be it resolved that the official flag of the city of El Paso shall be a light blue field with the seal of the City in gold in or near the
center thereof. The flag was manufactured in a 5:8 ratio, but instead of the official seal of the city, the manufacturer used what was termed a city "crest", which was really the seal of the State of Texas with the city's name on a ring around it."
Ben Cahoon, 5 December 2014
The flag above is the flag as it was made. If the flag were to be made as intended by the text quoted, it would look more like the image below.
Rob Raeside, 5 December 2014
![[Previous Flag of El Paso, Texas]](../images/u/us-txelp48b.gif)
image by Rob Raeside, 5 December 2014
The official city seal does not have
the olive and oak branches that
wreathe the state seal, on the one
hand, and on the other, the city seal
has the name of the state spelled out
around the star, one letter between
each set of points. Since the “crest”
was widely used (and still is) on city
stationery, the difference went noticed
until 1960 when the Girl
Scouts examined the flag more
closely, thinking to embroider a new one. Thus, with the adoption of a
new flag, the 1948 version was never actually made.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
![[City seal]](../images/u/us-txelp).gif)
image located by Paul Bassinson, 31 December 2019
Source:
https://www.elpasotexas.gov/~/media/images/coep/main%20city/logos/el-paso-city-seal.ashx
Paul Bassinson, 31 December 2019
![[City seal]](../images/u/us-txelp-pd.gif)
image by Valentin Poposki, 28 February 2021
