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Description

The First Map To Illustrate The Flag of the Lone Star State and The Republic of Texas

Nice example of Karl Baedeker's map of Texas, published in 1849, and surmounted with a large Lone Star flag.

In addition to being the earliest printed map to illustrate the Flag of Texas, it is also one of the only maps of Texas to highlight the State in its largest configuration, including its claims to neighboring parts of New Mexico and Colorado.

Texas is still shown in its Republic configuration, incorporating Santa Fe, Taos and all of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, as well as a portion of Colorado south of the Arkansas River. Texas would claim this expanded western boundary until the Compromise of 1850. As a result of the Compromise, Texas surrendered its claim to New Mexico, as well as its claims north of the Missouri Compromise Line. It retained the Texas Panhandle and the federal government agreed to pay the state's public debt.

Baedeker's map was prepared for German emigrants, who were then actively flowing into Texas. The two active German colonies (Deutsche Colonie des Mainzer Vereins and Franxos) appear in yellow in the south central part of the state. Some counties are outlined in red and there are areas shaded in color. Major cities, roads, bodies of water, and geographic features are marked (with relief shown by hachures). The names and locations of some Native American Indian tribes are also marked in western and northern portions of the state.

\There are two insets: "Plan von Neu-Brunfels und Comalstadt" (lower left corner) and "Plan von Castroville" (lower right corner), these being amont the earliest printed plans of each of the towns.

The map occasionally appears in Bracht's guidebook, Texas im Jahre 1848, but is typically lacking.

The Lone Star Flag of Texas

The current state flag of Texas was introduced to the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 28, 1838, by Senator William H. Wharton and was adopted on January 25, 1839, as the final national flag of the Republic of Texas.

When Texas became the 28th state of the Union on December 29, 1845, the national flag became the state flag.