Tennessee flag flies upside down at state capitol

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Tennessee's flag is easy to fly upside down. It has even been seen flying that way above the state Capitol. That's because it's not easy to tell when the flag is right-side up.

The three-star symbol in the middle of the flag represents West, Middle and East Tennessee.

WPLN-FM reports many people want to fly the flag so that the three stars are arranged like a triangle with one over two. But that's not right. According to a directive made law in 1905 by the Legislature, "the highest star shall be the one nearest the upper confined corner of the flag."

The mistake is easy to make. In 1976, the U.S. Postal Service released a commemorative stamp with the three-star design upside down.