Massachusetts Crazy Laws and Fun Facts
Crazy Massachusetts Laws
- Candy may not contain more than 1% alcohol.
- An old ordinance declares goatees illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public.
- Goatees are illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public.
- Children may smoke, but they may not purchase cigarettes.
- It is unlawful to deliver diapers on a Sunday, regardless of emergencies.
- It is illegal to give beer to hospital patients.
- In Marlboro, Massachusetts it is illegal to buy, sell or possess a squirt gun.
- It is illegal to put tomatoes in clam chowder.
- It is illegal to snore unless you have your bedroom windows closed and locked.
- You may not have colored lights on your house if they can be seen from Main Street. If you live on Main street and want to paint your house, the colors must be approved by the historical society.
- In 1659 the state of Massachusetts outlawed Christmas.
- Pumpkins were once recommended as a cure for freckles.
- It is illegal to go to bed without first having a full bath.
- It is illegal to play a fiddle.
- Defacing a milk carton is punishable by a $10 fine.
Massachusetts fun facts, trivia and tidbits
- The birth control pill was invented at Clark University in Worchester.
- 552 original documents pertaining to the Salem witch trials of 1692 have been preserved and are still stored by the Peabody Essex Museum.
- The Boston Cream Pie is the official dessert of Massachusetts.
- The first Dunkin Donuts ever was opened in Quincy, Massachusetts.
- The Boston Terrier is the official state dog.
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Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate in the country.
- Fenway Park is the oldest original Major League baseball stadium still in use.
- The sweet treat Marshmallow Fluff was invented in Union Square, Somerville in 1917.
- On June 1, 1660, Mary Dyer was hanged on Boston Common for repeatedly defying a law banning Quakers from the colony. She is believed to be the last religious martyr in North America.
- There is a house in Rockport built entirely out of newspaper.
- The African Meeting House opened in Boston in 1806. It is the first church in America to be built by free Africans.
- The first American lighthouse was built in the Boston Harbor in 1716.
- The visible part of Plymouth Rock is about the size of a coffee table and has the date 1620 carved on it's surface. It is not located near the head of Plymouth Harbor.
- The Boston Tea Party reenactment takes place in Boston Harbor every December 16th.
- The first sewing machine was built in Boston in 1845.
- Harvard was the first college established in North America.
- Between June 14, 1962 and January 4, 1964 thirteen single women between the ages of 19 and 85 were murdered by the infamous Boston Strangler.
- The Pilgrim National Wax Museum in Plymouth is the only wax museum devoted entirely to the Pilgrim's story.
- Webster Lake’s real name is Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, the longest geographic name (and hardest spelling bee word) in the U.S., and the longest lake name in the world.
- The Boston Common became the first public park in America in 1634.
- Clarence Birdseye revolutionized American mealtime when he invented frozen foods in Gloucester in 1925.
- The American Revolution began in Lowell which is also Americas first planned industrial city.
- Forest Park, the Jewel of Springfield, Massachusetts
This park has something for everyone, including the Forest Park Zoo and the nationally acclaimed Brights Nights Holiday display. - Visiting the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, Massac...
Get all the information you need to plan a visit to the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, Massachusetts. This beautiful Victorian-era home was once the residence of William Skinner and his family. - Hauntings in Salem, Massachusetts
Is Salem haunted? Let's explore that question. . . shall we? If the old hag comes a'calling in your house, you can always hide under the blankets. . . - Hiking in the Fannie Stebbins Memorial Wildlife Refu...
Established in 1951, the Fannie Stebbins Memorial Wildlife Refuge provides hikers and bird enthusiasts with a chance to explore over 330 acres of pristine floodplain land along the Connecticut River. - The Bridge Of Flowers, Shelburne Falls, Massachusett...
Want a great day trip? A beautiful stroll across the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls , Massachusetts will delight the senses. - Attractions Around Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Things to do and see on your Cape Cod vacation or getaway.
In 1922 Elis F. Stenman began building his summer home out of newspaper as a hobby. He not only made the house itself, but the objects in it all out of newspaper. There's even a paper piano!
Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate in the country
© 2010 Susan Hazelton
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Comments
Very interesting read! I was not aware of a lot of these things in spite of living in MA my entire life. Up and shared.
JSMatthew~
- AUTHOR
BK, It does make you wonder what the newpaper house looks like and how it is still standing. Thanks for visiting and thanks for your comments.
I'd love to see that house made of newspaper - and will research further. I love these hubs of yours! Thanks a lot!
- AUTHOR
nancy, I think it's more fun for them to have on the books. Thanks for stopping in.
Great hub. Very interesting old laws. I wonder why they don't change them?
- AUTHOR
Patti Ann, I think there were a few people with too much time on their hands so they decided to mess with people's mind. They may be crazy but they are fun to read.
- AUTHOR
Hey, Pcunix, if it makes you feel good do it. lol My only question is which two? Thanks
Great hub! Wonder what made them write those crazy laws.
I have lived in Massachusetts all my life and have been guilty of at least two of these crimes.
After breakfast, I'll go turn myself in.
- AUTHOR
It's true, Pamela. Each state has their own special group of crazy laws. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment.
It seems like so many states have these crazy old laws on the books and MA certainly has some unusual ones. Very entertaining.
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