Program

Legends & Lore®

Subject

Folklore, Legend, Site

Location

Tompkins St & Milton Av, Syracuse, NY 13204, USA

Lat/Long

43.046707950695, -76.185399994898

Grant Recipient

Tipperary Hill Neighborhood Association

Said to be the world’s only upside-down traffic light in the world, the traffic light at the intersection of Tompkins Street and Milton Avenue in Syracuse, New York is a unique landmark with a curious past. The legend originates in the proud Irish community of Tipperary Hill, where a new traffic light was installed around the early 1920s. The Irish residents were enraged that the traditional traffic light was arranged with red on top and green on the bottom, as red symbolized Great Britain and their oppressive rule over Ireland. As an act of defiance, a group of young men would hurl stones, or “Irish confetti”, at the red lens to break the light. The city attempted to fix the light multiple times, but the “stone throwers” would return and put the light out of order time and again. The neighborhood joked that leprechauns had been the culprits. City officials finally relented and in 1925, the traffic light was hung upside-down with the Irish green on top. The “stone throwers” never publicly admitted to their involvement, but they were reportedly named grand marshals of the 1987 Syracuse Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. The Tipperary Hill Memorial Park, near the traffic light, was dedicated in 1997 and honors the heritage of Irish community members.