The state of Missouri is known as the “Gateway to the West,” having the iconic 630-foot Gateway Arch in St. Louis. The state is filled with so much culture and history, being the birthplace of jazz and blues music and the transition zone for both the Midwestern and Southern United States’ cultures. 

Given the history of the state, Missouri has some strange and outdated laws. Some of these laws include requiring bachelor men to pay taxes, limiting accommodations to fewer than four females, allowing car sales only on weekdays, avoiding eating ice cream from backpacks, and refraining from honking other people’s horns. 

If you flip through the books, you’ll definitely see more weird laws in Missouri. These laws were once practiced by the people in that particular geographical boundary. Such laws still exist on paper, but nobody knows they exist, or anyone ever enforces them anymore. 

You Can’t Accommodate Four or More Females

Missouri still has many outdated laws that don’t align with modern societal values anymore. One of them is that accommodating four or more females in any form of dwelling, such as a house, dorm room, motel, or hotel, is considered illegal. 

This law circulates now and then in the public’s eye, and it’s rarely ever enforced. It was intended to control illegal solicitation and prostitution back then; evidently, the law isn’t compatible with our system anymore. 

Laws Protecting Bears 

In Missouri, driving with an uncaged bear in your vehicle is prohibited, and another law states that wrestling a bear is illegal. 

While you initially may find these weird, bear wrestling was actually a game back then, as a form of entertainment for people in parts of the country, including Missouri. 

By introducing these laws, the legislation actually prioritized protecting wild animals, criminalizing animal cruelty, and ensuring road safety. These laws still exist in the books.  

Don’t Eat Ice Cream from Your Backpack 

You’re probably like, “What?” but yes, this is a law. Not necessarily across the state, but in St. Louis, you cannot eat ice cream from your backpack. This law likely originated to prevent messes from melting ice cream in public areas. 

Bachelor Men Had to Pay Taxes 

1821 wasn’t just the birth year of the state of Missouri; it was also the birth year of this law. The state decided to tax bachelor men. The single men had more money than anybody; not only was this beneficial to the state, but this law’s main focus was to encourage single men to marry. 

Encouraging more men to marry soon was crucial back then because it helped grow the population. 

Don’t worry! This is no longer enforced; it’s just there in books as a remnant of history. You can enjoy being single today as long as you want in Missouri. 

You Can’t Sell Your Car On Sundays 

Missouri has “blue laws” that restrict activities on Sundays. One of them is selling cars on a Sunday. While selling cars from an individual to an individual is not necessarily illegal in modern days, you will probably find many car sales stores closed on Sundays since they can’t do transactions on Sundays.

This law is rooted in Missouri’s deep traditional and religious values; according to Christian faith, Sunday is considered the Lord’s Day, a day for rest and worship, which shows the antiquated nature of this law. 

Yard Sale? Only for Two Days in Your Backyard 

In University City, a suburb of St. Louis, people are prohibited from doing a yard sale more than two days in a single calendar year, and not just that, the sale must be in your backyard or in your garage. This law’s intention is probably to prevent traffic and public clutter. 

No to Honking Other People’s Horn 

You’re probably already aware that honking is unlawful everywhere, but in University City, you’re banned from honking other people’s horns. So, whenever you’re driving someone else’s car, you may want to stay away from touching their vehicle’s horn. 

Like every other law here, the ban is not enforced.

Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer Involving Strange Local Ordinances?

Despite most of these laws being inapplicable in our lives, if you ever encounter a complex situation like those in these laws where you are injured because of someone else’s negligence, consult a personal injury lawyer to help you navigate the complex laws in Missouri. 

Key Takeaways 

• Accommodating four or more females in a single dwelling is prohibited but not enforced due to its obvious outdatedness. 
• Driving with an uncaged bear and wrestling a bear were illegal, indicating road safety laws and stepping up to ban animal cruelty back then. 
• Eating ice cream from a backpack is illegal in St. Louis because it may cause a mess in public. 
• Single men once had to pay a tax for being a bachelor, with the intention of encouraging them to marry and start a family. 
• Missouri’s deep religious and traditional roots forbid people from selling cars on a Sunday and only focus on rest and worship.
• In University City, you’re only allowed to do a yard sale for two days in a year and only in your backyard, and it’s illegal to honk horns from other people’s vehicles.