Strange Laws of Massachusetts


Taken from http://www.holdenpd.com/laws.html


Have you ever heard about strange laws that are still on the books in the United States? Well, while they may not be the strangest, Massachusetts does still have some very strange laws on the books. While reading them it will make you wonder how and sometimes why they came up with the law itself.

New England Strange Laws

Massachusetts State Laws

Mourners at a wake may not eat more than three sandwiches.

Snoring is prohibited unless all bedroom windows are closed and securely locked.

An old ordinance declares goatees illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public.

Hunting on Sundays is prohibited.

It is illegal to go to bed without first having a full bath.

No gorilla is allowed in the back seat of any car.

Tomatoes may not be used in the production of clam chowder.

Quakers and witches are banned.

Bullets may not be used as currency.

City Laws

Boston

It is illegal to play the fiddle.
Two people may not kiss in front of a church.
No more than two baths may be taken within the confines of the city.
Anyone may let their sheep and cows graze in the public gardens/commons at any time except Sundays.
It is illegal to eat peanuts in church.
An old law prohibits the taking of baths on Sunday.
Duels to the death permitted on the common on Sundays provided that the Governor is present.
Women may not wear heels over 3 inches in length while on the common.
No one may take a bath without a prescription.

Burlington

You may not walk around with a "drink".
Hingham

You may not have colored lights on your house if it can be seen from Main Street. Only white lights may be visible.

If you live on Main Street and want to paint your house, the colors must be approved by the historical society.

Hopkinton

Though horses and cows are allowed on the common, dogs are prohibited.
Longmeadow

It is illegal for two men to carry a bathtub across the town green.
Marlboro

It is illegal to buy, sell or possess a squirt gun.

One may not detonate a nuclear device in the city.

Milford

Peeping in the windows of automobiles is forbidden.

Newton

All families must be given a hog from the town's mayor.

North Andover

An ordinance prohibits the use of space guns.

"I am above the law!"

an80smetalchick said:

how do i cantact the governer and wants to duel to the death?

We should just surprise him. He'll give a speech there and we'll show up with swords and videotape the whole thing.

If I move to Newton, I will contact the mayors office to receive my HOG!

For those going to Maryland this weekend....
Maryland Crazy Law

Thistles may not grow in one's yard.

Baltimore
No person who is a "tramp" or "vagrant" shall loiter in any park at any time. They define tramp as a person who roves for begging purposes and a vagrant as an idle person who is able-bodied living without labor. It's a $50 fine. I guess the tramp would have to beg for the money to pay the fine. -Park Rule 6

Looking for more dumb laws? Check out DumbLaws.com!
It's illegal to take a lion to the movies.


It's illegal to throw bales of hay from a second-story window within the city limits.


It is a violation of city code to sell chicks or ducklings to a minor within 1 week of the Easter holiday.


It is a park rule violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt. $10 fine. This would include joggers that go shirtless. (1898)


Baltimore City
You may not curse inside the city limits.


Though you may spit on a city roadway, spitting on city sidewalks is prohibited.


Columbia
Though clotheslines are banned, clothes may be draped over a fence.


You can not have a antenna exposed outside of your house yet you can have a 25' satellite dish.


Ocean City
Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited.


A law from the early 1900's prohibits men from going topless on the Boardwalk. (Repealed)

Some Repeated - but pulled from another source.

Oral sex can not be given or received anywhere.

Thistles may not grow in one's yard.

It's illegal to throw bales of hay from a second-story window within the city limits. (Baltimore)

It's illegal to take a lion to the movies. (Baltimore)



It is a park rule violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt. $10 fine. This would include joggers that go shirtless. (1898) (Baltimore)

No person who is a "tramp" or "vagrant" shall loiter in any park at any time. (Baltimore)

It is a violation of city code to sell chicks or ducklings to a minor within 1 week of the Easter holiday. (Baltimore)

Though you may spit on a city roadway, spitting on city sidewalks is prohibited. (Baltimore City)

You may not curse inside the city limits. (Baltimore City)

You can not have a antenna exposed outside of your house yet you can have a 25' satellite dish. (Columbia)

Though clotheslines are banned, clothes may be draped over a fence. (Columbia)

A law from the early 1900's prohibits men from going topless on the Boardwalk. (Ocean City)

Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited. (Ocean City)

an80smetalchick said:

Prom's really gonna suck.

Hopkinton

Though horses and cows are allowed on the common, dogs are prohibited. - Yes, they still have signs up too, it's across the street from where my mother works.

there is no funnier law than "click it or ticket"

Apprently there was recently a law repealed that banned native americans from entering the Boston city limits punishable by arrest on sight. It only took them a few hundred years to get around to fixing that one. Gotta love bureaucracy.

Here are some good ones from my home town:
-The Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock (good luck enforcing that one)
-A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month.
-Flirtation between men and women on the streets of Little Rock may result in a 30-day jail term
-Alligators may not be kept in bathtubs.

I AM JUDGE DREAD I AM THE LAW!