# Where are flags never lowered? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287 "2002-10-08T00:12:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coreyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@coreyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coreyh)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/1 "2002-10-08T00:12:29Z")
I have heard that there are three places in the United States where the flag is never lowered to half-staff. Two of them are the home of Betsy Ross and the Iwo Jima Memorial. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so where the third flag is located? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/2 "2002-10-08T00:20:28Z")
I think at the United Nations building in NYC. Its also the only place on US soil where the US Flag isn’t required to be higher than all other flags. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/3 "2002-10-08T01:07:28Z")
Well, I don’t know if this fits your criterion, but the one the Apollo astronauts placed on the moon is usually not lowered. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/4 "2002-10-08T02:02:59Z")
The Betsy Ross House in Philadephia is not a government site. Therefore, there is no law requiring the flag must never be flown at half-staff. BTW, Betsy Ross did not sew the first Stars & Stripes, despite the 225-plus year story that she did. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/5 "2002-10-08T04:30:51Z")
A lot of car dealers leave their half-acre flags flying 24/7/365. ---
**Author:** ![NeutronJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neutronjack/32/4134_2.png) [@NeutronJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeutronJack)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/6 "2002-10-08T04:50:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \* > \*\*I think at the United Nations building in NYC. Its also the only place on US soil where the US Flag isn’t required to be higher than all other flags. \*\* The U.S. Flag Code, 7 ©: > [@](#): > > No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America > … > No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States (an exception for the U.N. follows) The U.S. flag doesn’t have to be **higher** , it just can’t be **lower**. That means that, for example, the Colorado state flag, or the flag of Britney Spears, can be flown at the same level as the U.S. flag. ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/7 "2002-10-08T13:41:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrNeutron \* > \*\*The U.S. Flag Code, 7 (c):(an exception for the U.N. follows) > > The U.S. flag doesn’t have to be **higher** , it just can’t be **lower**. That means that, for example, the Colorado state flag, or the flag of Britney Spears, can be flown at the same level as the U.S. flag. \*\* only in america…!! :rolleyes: 😃 (evil grin) ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/8 "2002-10-08T14:11:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \* > \*\*I think at the United Nations building in NYC. Its also the only place on US soil where the US Flag isn’t required to be higher than all other flags. \*\* AFAIK, the UN building is not US soil, but the sovereign territory of the United Nations. UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/9 "2002-10-08T14:37:08Z")
It is US soil, but the UN enjoys some immunities. (A bit like a foreign embassy, really.) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/10 "2002-10-08T17:00:39Z")
Not an American example, but the British Royal Standard is never lowered or flown at half mast, as it symbolises the institution of the monarchy rather than an individual person and as such never dies, ie the sucession is instant. This caused quite a lot of hysterical handwringing when Princess Diana died as the flag on Buckingham Palace was not at half mast. (Eventually they flew a Union Jack at half mast) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-flags-never-lowered/131287/11 "2002-10-08T17:17:20Z")
You know I’ve seen so many different cites on this that I don’t think any of them are true. I have at home a Boy Scout book on how to display the flag and it lists five different places, four of them are in the DC area. Iwo Jima White House Congress Francis Scott Key grave site in Frederick, MD (This is the only reason I remember this because I grew up near the site) and Arizona Mem in Hawaii Over the years I’ve heard so many differing things that I really don’t know who to beieve. I also never went to look at the FSK grave at night so I don’t know if that is true or not.