Weird Laws Still on the Books in North Dakota
When wandering through the streets of Fargo, North Dakota’s largest city, it’s easy to get swept up in the dynamic blend of arts and culture at places like the Plains Art Museum. But just a short drive away, the Cass County Courthouse, with its stately early 20th-century architecture, stands as a reminder of the state’s quirky legal history. Here, visitors can reflect on some bizarre laws that linger in the state’s legal code. For example, at this courthouse hub, you might learn—either through local tours or historical exhibits—about statutes prohibiting horseback riding while under the influence of alcohol, a law that seems oddly specific but speaks to the rural roots and early transportation methods of the region.
Traveling west toward Medora, a small town about two hours from Bismarck, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park offers more than rugged badlands and bison herds. This park, named after one of the nation’s most famous presidents who once roamed the Dakota plains, also reflects the days when peculiar regulations were shaped by frontier life. Within the park’s scenic loop drive, visitors can learn about laws related to wildlife preservation that arose from earlier times when indiscriminate hunting was rampant. The park’s visitor center often shares stories of how such rules evolved, and how they still influence today’s conservation efforts, creating a unique bridge between legal history and natural preservation.
In the heart of Bismarck, the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum presents an immersive dive into the state’s past, including its legal oddities. Exhibits here spotlight the early territorial laws and the sometimes strange mandates that settlers had to follow. One exhibit, for example, delves into regulations that governed seemingly mundane activities such as wearing certain types of clothing on Sundays or restrictions on singing loudly at night. Walking through this museum’s galleries, visitors connect these curious regulations to the social and cultural fabric of the times, all while admiring artifacts like pioneer clothing and Native American crafts.
Further north, in the city of Grand Forks nestled along the Red River and about an hour’s drive from the Canadian border, the University of North Dakota’s Chester Fritz Library offers a quiet place to explore historic legal documents and local government records. Here, researchers and visitors can access archives that reveal some of the stranger statutes that once made headlines—laws about everything from the legalities of carrying weapons in public spaces to curfews for minors. The library’s special collections provide a tangible connection to these past rules, framed by the lively college town atmosphere just outside its doors.
Heading southwest to the small town of New Salem, near Bismarck and about a 30-minute drive, visitors find a charming Main Street with a historic courthouse that occasionally hosts community events and legal reenactments. The courthouse grounds tell stories of old ordinances, such as restrictions on how loud one could play a musical instrument or bizarre rules about the sale of moonshine after Prohibition. These local relics of law enforcement give visitors a glimpse into the social controls that shaped small-town life in the Dakota territories long ago.
On the western edge of the state, the city of Williston, about four hours from Bismarck, offers a different perspective. Williston’s historic downtown reflects the boom-and-bust cycles that impacted local legislation, especially during the oil rush. Here, odd laws emerged quickly in response to the influx of workers and the need for order—laws regulating everything from the timing of saloon openings to the handling of livestock within city limits. Exploring Williston’s old commercial district reveals how these laws impacted daily life, visible in the preserved storefronts and public meeting spaces where the laws were enforced.
Finally, in the peaceful surroundings of Pembina State Museum near the Canadian border, visitors can uncover the early days of North Dakota’s complex relationship with trade and border regulations. Pembina’s exhibits highlight how strange cross-border laws sometimes led to odd enforcement situations, such as restrictions on exporting certain goods or prohibitions on bringing in specific types of plants or animals. This small museum not only shares the story of state and international laws but also offers a look at the natural landscape that made this area so strategically important.
Exploring North Dakota through these real places brings its unusual laws to life. From courtrooms to parks and museums, the state’s legal quirks are woven into the fabric of its communities and landscapes, inviting visitors to step back in time and see how these eccentric rules helped shape the culture and character of the Northern Plains.