You Won’t Believe These 17 Strange Old Laws – Many of Them Are Still On The Books!

Oddly specific, most of these laws make very little sense in today’s world.

Some of these laws made sense at the time. But frankly, some of them really would have been incredibly difficult to enforce given the personal nature of the statutes. Plus, some of these strange old laws are oddly specific! Still, you’ve got to have standards, right?

9) Florida

It was illegal to break more than 3 dishes per day or to chip more than 4. How does one prosecute for this offense? “These dishes were broken before I got here, officer.”

Via/ National Archives

10) North Carolina

NC has some tough gambling laws. In particular, beach bingo games must be for less than a ten dollar prize and no game of bingo shall last for more than 5 hours (unless the game happens at a fair). These laws are still enforceable today. So much for that high-stakes 6 hour beach bingo party you were planning.

Via/ Flickr

11) Gainesville, GA

Residents in this GA town must eat fried chicken with their hands. This 1961 law was tested in 2009 when a 91-year-old woman was pardoned after being spotted in public by the chief of police using a knife and fork to eat this Southern specialty.

Via/ Flickr

12) Nebraska

In the Cornhusker state, home permanents shall not be given to girls by their mothers without a license. This law would make more sense from a cosmetology standpoint if the law were restricting any unlicensed hairdressers from giving perms to children or others.

Via/ Flickr

13) Rhode Island

Back to the blue laws: it’s technically illegal to sell a toothbrush and toothpaste at the same time on a Sunday in RI. You kind of need both to get the job done!

Via/ Wiki Commons

14) New Hampshire

In NH, there will be no movies shown in the theater before 2pm. You’re going to have to scramble in order to catch the matinee before dinner.

Via/ Flickr

15) Chicago, IL

It is illegal to fly a kite in downtown Chicago, a measure that aldermen in the ’70s tried to have revised. Certain beaches and parks near the water do allow for this fun activity, though.

Via/ Flickr

16) Michigan

A 1953 law made it illegal to to buy, sell, or trade new or used cars on the “first day of the week, commonly called Sunday,” in case anyone was wondering which day that is!

Via/ Flickr

17) Kansas

In KS, it is unlawful to hit a vending machine. More specifically, the law mentions that damage is illegal, so if you were to hit the machine that stole your money lightly, you might be ok. This law applies to any kind of vending machine, including gum ball machines and parking meters.

Via/ Flickr

While a couple of these laws were passed recently, many of them are fairly old and reflect a different way of life. Back then life revolved around horses and unusual region-specific tastes could be made into law. Back then all kinds of things on Sundays was illegal.

Click here to read about 5 true crime stories that history forgot!

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