Weird Laws Still on the Books in Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota’s capital, holds the Minnesota History Center, a treasure trove of exhibits chronicling the state’s unique past. Within its walls lie stories about the quirky laws that once governed—or still govern—everyday life. One such law, for example, prohibited walking an elephant on the streets of St. Paul. While elephants are scarce in the city today, this ordinance reflects the fleeting days when circuses traveled by rail and performers might parade exotic animals through town. Visitors exploring the center can immerse themselves in Minnesota’s legislative quirks alongside broader historical narratives, making it a perfect starting point for understanding how local culture influenced these unusual rules.
Heading northwest from St. Paul about 20 miles to Anoka, famously known as the “Halloween Capital of the World,” you’ll find a community where some of the stranger legal relics still echo in local lore. Anoka once had ordinances concerning how residents could celebrate Halloween, including restrictions on wearing masks or costumes that obstructed identification—rules with roots in old concerns about public safety and mischief prevention. The town’s Halloween-themed parades and house decorations today offer a festive contrast to these bygone statutes, and the Anoka Halloween Museum captures this interplay between tradition, celebration, and regulation, celebrating the city’s spirited embrace of the holiday while acknowledging its legal history.
Traveling north about 90 miles from Minneapolis brings you to Duluth, a port city on the shores of Lake Superior known for its rugged scenery and maritime heritage. Near the waterfront, you can visit Leif Erikson Park, where the imposing statue of the Viking explorer stands sentinel over the lake. Duluth’s laws have sometimes reflected its maritime character—at one time, a peculiar ordinance required barbers to close on Sundays in the city’s downtown district, a nod to the lingering influence of religious observance laws that permeated Minnesota. While the barbershops now operate freely, the park and nearby Lakewalk offer visitors striking views of the lake and the historic Aerial Lift Bridge, making it a vivid reminder of how life and law have evolved along the North Shore.
Down south, about 80 miles from the Twin Cities, the charming town of Red Wing sits on the Mississippi River bluff, famed for its pottery and boots. In Red Wing, the Goodhue County Courthouse is a remarkable place to glimpse serious state legal history, but it also stands near where older, stranger laws once applied. For instance, local codes once forbade fishing with nets in the Mississippi River within certain city limits, a regulation intended to protect the fish populations but now largely superseded by modern conservation efforts. Visitors to Red Wing can enjoy the scenic Bluffs Trail, a moderately challenging 2.7-mile loop that offers sweeping views of the river valley and the town’s historic architecture, blending natural beauty with the weight of legal tradition that helped shape this riverside community.
A drive of about 70 miles southwest from Minneapolis leads to the town of New Ulm, rich in German heritage and home to the Hermann Heights Monument, a towering statue commemorating Germanic culture. New Ulm’s streets and festivals show a deep respect for cultural customs, some of which once inspired unique ordinances. For example, laws once regulated how breweries operated on Sundays or mandated specific closing hours to appease temperance movements. Today, the Schell’s Brewery Tour invites visitors to engage with the region’s brewing legacy, tasting beers crafted with centuries-old techniques while reflecting on how these age-old laws influenced local industry and social habits.
East of Duluth, a scenic two-hour drive brings you to Jay Cooke State Park, where towering sandstone cliffs rise over the St. Louis River. Amidst the park’s famed swinging bridge and rugged hiking trails, you find a natural setting far removed from the peculiar statutes of urban centers, yet even here, some odd laws once applied. For instance, Minnesota once had statutes forbidding the use of explosives for fishing, a rule pertinent to protecting such pristine waterways. Exploring the park’s challenging trails, especially in late spring when wildflowers bloom and the river thunders beneath the bridge, gives visitors a tangible sense of the environment those laws sought to shield.
Finally, returning to the Twin Cities area, the historic Mill City Museum in Minneapolis offers an industrial narrative tied to the city’s flour milling empire. Among the stories is how municipal regulations controlled workers’ safety and the operation of the massive mills along the Mississippi River. Less known are the peculiar ordinances that once prohibited certain types of public performances or music on city streets at specific times, rules aimed at maintaining order amid the booming industrial population. Walking along the nearby Stone Arch Bridge or exploring the museum’s exhibits provides a backdrop to these legal oddities, showing how urban growth and regulation went hand in hand in shaping one of Minnesota’s most iconic neighborhoods.
Each of these places offers not just a chance to encounter Minnesota’s natural wonders and cultural heritage, but a fascinating glimpse into the state’s legal eccentricities—laws that tell stories about its people, values, and the times that shaped them. Whether wandering through museums, hiking along rivers, or exploring small towns, visitors can uncover these historical footprints woven into the fabric of Minnesota’s communities.