Government can be serious business, but it can also be a lot of fun, especially in some small towns. A few outlaw towns have made their own rules.
Whether you have to dust off an old set of law books or experience current laws that are a bit strange, many small towns have rules and laws that you might not expect to find anywhere. Some laws are no longer actively enforced, but others are part of the culture of the outlaw towns, making them much more interesting than you might expect.
Slab City, California
Slab City is the remnants of a World War II outpost near the Mexican border in the Sonoran Desert. There’s no running water, sewage, plumbing, or electricity, but busses, police, and delivery services frequently make stops in this little town. It’s been called the last lawless place in the country, but that doesn’t stop people from living peaceably together in this small community. The year-round population is about 150, which increases to nearly 4,000 in the winter months, hinting at a migrating community that’s welcome to anyone looking for a place to live freely.
Hell, Michigan
If you’ve ever been told to “go to Hell,” its not as damning or as far away as you might think. The small town of Hell, Michigan, is one of the fun outlaw towns that made its own rules. In fact, you could pay to be the mayor for a day. This honor can be bestowed on anyone, including pets, and makes for a fun and interesting way to raise money for the town. Imagine a marriage that begins in Hell; it can only go up from there, right?
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
This artistic coastal town doesn’t allow people to wear high heels without a special permit. This law was put in place in 1963 to prevent the city from being sued over its uneven pavements. The permits to wear high heels are free, but no one has ever been cited for illegally wearing these shoes. Still, many visitors specifically request the permits as souvenir items. Next time you visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, be sure to get one of these permits as a keepsake.
Severance, Colorado
Can you imagine a town in Colorado banning snowball fights? Well, that’s exactly what happened in Severance. Among outlaw towns that made their own rules, this seems to be a bit overkill. Thankfully, a nine-year-old boy presented his case to overturn the law in 2018 and won. This story made national headlines, and the town celebrates with an annual snowball fight festival that brings a happy ending to one of the strangest town laws. The original law defined snowballs as missiles, which they certainly are not.
Gainesville, Georgia
The term “Finger Licking Good” takes on a new meaning in Gainesville, Georgia. In this southern town, which is the self-proclaimed “Chicken Capital of the World,” it’s illegal to eat fried chicken with anything other than your hands. This law was passed in 1961 to promote the growing poultry industry of the town. One tourist was mockingly arrested in 2009 for eating fried chicken with a fork. Thankfully, she was quickly pardoned by the mayor but she knows how to eat chicken the right way now.
Skamania County, Washington
Instead of just outlaw towns that make their own rules, Skamania County has a county ordinance that you would never expect. In this county, it’s illegal to kill Bigfoot. This law was passed in 1969 and classified the elusive creature as an endangered species. Anyone found guilty of harming the Sasquatch could face hefty fines and potential jail time. Local Bigfoot enthusiasts embrace the law and hold an annual festival with evidence that supports the existence of Bigfoot, despite the creature continuing to be mythological and elusive enough to have never been caught.
Marionville, Missouri
A law that made sense at one time in history no longer does. During the Great Depression, a law was passed in Marionville that required all residents to own at least two cows. This regulation was passed to ensure all families could be self-sufficient, but today it’s mostly ignored. The law comes up during town historical celebrations, and it is technically an active ordinance, but most residents don’t own cows and leave that to the dairy farmers. Still, it’s easy to see why such a law made sense at the time.
Some of these outlaw towns that made their own rules did so for a bit of fun and frivolity, while others used a little common sense to enact laws that are traditionally left unenforced. What strange town laws do you know about?
Emily Thompson