Ask Us: On which side of houses should flags be placed?
Published 12:05 am Monday, May 18, 2015
Question: With patriotic holidays coming up, which is the correct side of a house for people to display their U.S. flags?
Judy Workman
Salisbury
Answer: There are no special rules or laws that dictate where flags should be flown when placed in front of a house, according to the U.S. Flag Code and Rowan County Veterans Council President David Hand.
“It doesn’t make much of a difference which way it is sitting when it’s in front of your house,” Hand said. “It just has to be on a sturdy flag pole and not touch the ground.”
In 1942, the Flag Code was established by the U.S. Congress. The code sets a number of rules and recommendations for flying an American flag. It is a guide for flying a flag and does not impose penalties for improper use.
The recommendations in the Flag Code pertaining to display include:
• Being lowered briskly and ceremoniously
• Not being displayed on days when whether is inclement, except when the flag is designated as an all-weather flag
• Being displayed daily on or near the front entrance of administration buildings of public institutions
• Being displayed in or near every polling place on election days
• Being display in or near every schoolhouse during school days
• Not being be draped over a hood, top, side, or back of a vehicle, railroad, train or boat
• Not being displayed below any other flag
• Being at the center and the highest point of a group when a number of flags of states are grouped and displayed from staffs
• Being displayed at the same height and from a separate pole or staff when flown with the flag of another nation
• Being displayed with the blue field of stars to an observer’s left when placed horizontally or vertically against a wall
• Being displayed at an observer’s left when crossed with another flag and at the same level. It should also be in front of the other flag.
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