Six Flags Entertainment on Saturday said it has removed a Confederate flag from a Texas based theme park, reversing an earlier decision amid growing calls across the nation to take down symbols representative of southern slavery.

'At Six Flags Over Texas we strive every single day to make people happy and to create a fun, thrilling and safe family friendly experience for our guests,' a park spokeswoman told The Washington Post via email.

'We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our park to feature American flags.'

The 'Stars and Bars' design (far right) differs in appearance from the Confederate battle flag, which consists of two blue bars, lined with white stars, forming an 'X' across a red background

The Confederate States of America flag had been displayed at the Dallas-area theme park near the toll entrance and in the 'Star Mall' parts of the park since it opened in 1961.

The venue, based in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, is part of a chain of amusement parks that operate across North America under the auspices of the Six Flags Entertainment corporation.

The theme park itself is named after the six flags that have flown over Texas over the course of its history: Spain, Mexico, France, the Republic of Texas, the United States and the Confederacy.

Before Saturday's announcement, all six flags had flown over the Texas amusement park. They have all since been replaced with American flags, according to the Post.

In the wake of the deadly events of Charlottesville, Virginia last week, in which 32-year-old Heather Heyer was killed after a suspected white supremacist used his vehicle in a car-ramming attack, a growing chorus of voices demanded that symbols dedicated to the Confederacy be removed from public spaces across America.

After 56 years, Six Flags will no longer fly the Confederate flag over its theme parks in Texas

Before Saturday, the Confederate States of America flag could be seen at the toll entrance of the park and at the 'Star Mall' location

Gossip television show TMZ first confronted representatives of the theme park as to why the flag was still being flown

Celebrity gossip show TMZ initially confronted Six Flags Entertainment representatives with the issue on Thursday, asking why the flag was still flying at their Arlington amusement park, prompting an initial defense.

The park said the 'Stars and Bars' design differed in appearance from the Confederate battle flag, which consists of two blue bars, lined with white stars, forming an 'X' across a red background.

But by Saturday, the theme park decided to do an about face and reversed its prior position.

It remains unclear why the theme park decided to take the action, but outrage from social media began to swell over the weekend.

An even larger constituency of online users, however, expressed shocked for a different reason: They hadn't realized that Six Flag theme parks flew the Confederate flag.

'Wait, six flags flew a confederate flag? That was one of the flags?,' one Twitter asked incredulously.

'ok. why the heck did six flags over (Texas) even fly a confederate flag in the first place?? HOW IS THAT FUN, AT ALL?' wrote another.

Some social media users expressed shocked that the flag would be even seen at the family friendly location

While others expressed outrage that Confederate symbols would still be seen at a child-friendly venue