In 1915, the growing city of Houston celebrated Independence Day by introducing its new municipal flag. Designed by retired railroad employee W.A. Wheeldon, the banner featured "one lone white star, floating in a sea of azure blue and bearing on its surface the original seal of the city of Houston."

A century later, Preservation Houston invites you to a special event where we will donate the restored prototype of the flag to the city of Houston, which plans to put it on permanent display in the historic Julia Ideson library building, 550 McKinney Avenue. The event, which will begin in the auditorium of the Ideson Building shortly after 6 p.m. Monday, March 7, is free and open to the public.

The program will include a brief talk by textile conservator Jessica Hack, who restored the flag, followed by a ceremony and reception in the Ideson Building's Tudor Gallery. Members of the Houston Saengerbund, the city's oldest musical association, will be on hand to perform the rarely heard Houston Municipal Song, which was adopted along with the flag.

The prototype for the Houston flag was created by seamstresses at the Levy Bros. department store as a model for a 10-by-12-foot silk flag that was carried in the 1915 Independence Day parade. The prototype ended up in private hands; it was given to Preservation Houston by Frank Descant, who inherited it from his uncle, collector Sam Diadone. PH raised funds to have the flag restored, with a final grant coming last year from the North American Vexillological Association.

RSVP for this event by Friday, March 4. Click here to RSVP online or call (713) 510-3990.

Parking information: Street parking is free downtown from 6 p.m. Paid parking will be available in the garage beneath the Houston Public Library's Jones Building at 500 McKinney (enter the garage from Lamar) and in the 1100 Smith Garage, which is located directly across Lamar from the Ideson Building.