New York’s Only ‘Upside Down’ Traffic Light is a Local Landmark

An upside traffic light in upstate New York began as an act of rebellion but has now become a beloved local landmark.

Anyone who's taken their driving test knows that traffic lights have a red light on top, yellow in the middle and green on the bottom. That's true throughout the entire state of New York except for one very special intersection that has become somewhat of a magnet for tourists.

People who find themselves stopped at the Tipperary Hill traffic light may notice something a bit "off" but may not be aware that the history behind the green-on-the-top light goes all the way back to 1925.

Why is the Tipperary Hill Traffic Light Upside Down?

As legend has it, a group of young Irish kids known as the "Stone Throwers" joined their neighbors in protest of a new traffic light that was erected in the 1920s. Residents of the Irish community on Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, New York saw the signal as an affront to their nationality. They were angry because the color red, which represented the British, was placed on the top of the light. Green, which is the color of Ireland, was relegated to the bottom.

The Stone Throwers got their name after hurling rocks in the air, taking aim at the red traffic light. They would hurl stones, which they nicknamed "Irish confetti", at the top of the signal, rendering it inoperable. Whenever the red light was replaced by the town, it wouldn't be long until the gang began throwing rocks again. After continuing to vandalize the light, community leaders gave up and agreed to install the traffic signal upside down.

Memorial Erected to Honor Traffic Light Vandals

This act of civil disobedience has been memorialized at the Tipperary Hill Memorial. In 1997, a statue and a small park were constructed at the intersection to honor the Stone Throwers gang.

Local business owners and Irish community members raised funds to build the memorial which includes a statue depicting what appears to be an Irish family pointing and looking at the light. The statue goes out of its way not to glorify the acts of vandalism that caused the light to be turned upside down.

A boy in the photo is shown with his mother's hand gently resting on his back. He does not have a rock in his hands, as one would expect. Rather, it appears that he's silently looking on as his parents discover that the red light as been destroyed.

You can find the Tipperary Hill Memorial Park the next time you visit the City of Syracuse on the corner of Tompkins Street and Milton Avenue.