No matter what you think of current Maryland laws, we can all agree that the following list is quite odd. These real-life Maryland laws are either currently in effect or were at one time in our history. You can legitimately find some of them on the books to this day – check and see! Read along and laugh out loud at a few of the weirdest laws in Maryland. But you know what? If there’s a law about it, that means something might have happened to warrant it… hmm. Hmmmmmmmm.
- Thistles may not grow in one’s yard.
Flickr / Neil Williamson Your nana is a criminal now.
- Men may not buy drinks for female bartenders.
Flickr / Meg Stewart We’re… actually fine with this.
- Eating while swimming in the ocean is prohibited.
Flickr / Chris Dodds But if not if you’re a shark.
- A woman may not go through her husband’s pockets while he is sleeping.
Flickr / Mike Schmid Kinda rude and weird anyway, don’t you think?
- In Caroline County, it is illegal to forecast or pretend to foretell the future.
Flickr /Allen County (IN) Public Library We bet you didn’t see that coming.
- In Baltimore, it is illegal to wash or scrub sinks no matter how dirty they get.
Flickr / Fazimoto …what? Ew.
- It is a violation to be in a public park with a sleeveless shirt.
Flickr / Don Hankins So, y’know, don’t flex if you like that shirt.
- A law from Ocean City in the early 1900’s prohibits men from going topless on the Boardwalk.
Flickr / Frank Farm Women around the country know how you feel.
- In Columbia, you can not have a antenna exposed outside of your house yet you can have a 25’ satellite dish.
Flickr / csete ….why though?
- You cannot swear while inside the city limits of Baltimore.
Flickr / Christi So #$@*ing FINE then.
Do you grow thistles in your yard while fortune telling atop your house antenna? Haha, same. Which weird laws in Maryland are your favorite? How many of these weird laws in Maryland have you broken? Tell us your thoughts about them in the comments, but, you know – don’t use your real name or anything. You never know who’s watching (nice try, Maryland FBI).
Flickr / Neil Williamson
Your nana is a criminal now.
Flickr / Meg Stewart
We’re… actually fine with this.
Flickr / Chris Dodds
But if not if you’re a shark.
Flickr / Mike Schmid
Kinda rude and weird anyway, don’t you think?
Flickr /Allen County (IN) Public Library
We bet you didn’t see that coming.
Flickr / Fazimoto
…what? Ew.
Flickr / Don Hankins
So, y’know, don’t flex if you like that shirt.
Flickr / Frank Farm
Women around the country know how you feel.
Flickr / csete
….why though?
Flickr / Christi
So #$@*ing FINE then.
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Weird Laws in Maryland August 01, 2022 Tori Jane What are some strange things about Maryland that are fun to know? Maryland might be a small state, but it’s not without its fun facts and offbeat trivia! Every state has some, and Maryland is no exception. Some of our favorite weird things to know about Maryland include the fact that, should you ever find yourself in a court of law, you’ll notice the judge is wearing red instead of the traditional black. Maryland was also the first state to open a school, and it’s been home to not one but several US capitols over the years before it was officially moved to DC. Oh… and when it comes to the official state sport, we hope you’re good at jousting… because… yeah. Seriously. It is. What are some crazy fun facts about Maryland? Those aren’t the only fun facts about Maryland we can come up with off the tops of our heads. There are quite a few, turns out! Harriet Tubman herself was born here, for example, and we couldn’t be prouder to call her our own. She became a fugitive upon hearing rumors that she was about to be sold (it makes us want to gag just typing that), so she went on the run with her children and made it safely to the north. But her story didn’t end there – oh no, she would eventually help more than 300 people find their way to freedom, too, and her legacy would cement her place as an American icon forever. Oh, and did you know Maryland was founded as a colony back in 1632? Talk about old school. What are some weird illegal things in Maryland from old laws? We love weird laws from everywhere, including Maryland. Some of our favorite illegal things in Maryland that tend to make us scratch our heads include the fact that you’re not allowed to bring a lion (yes, a lion) to the movies with you in Baltimore, so don’t even consider it. It’s also illegal for landlords or apartment complexes to forbid tenants from having traditional clotheslines. It is also illegal for a man to buy a female bartender a drink here, so guys… just don’t. Besides, she’s at work. She’s being paid to be nice; it’s known as customer service. She’s not interested, my guy.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Weird Laws in Maryland
August 01, 2022
Tori Jane
What are some strange things about Maryland that are fun to know? Maryland might be a small state, but it’s not without its fun facts and offbeat trivia! Every state has some, and Maryland is no exception. Some of our favorite weird things to know about Maryland include the fact that, should you ever find yourself in a court of law, you’ll notice the judge is wearing red instead of the traditional black. Maryland was also the first state to open a school, and it’s been home to not one but several US capitols over the years before it was officially moved to DC. Oh… and when it comes to the official state sport, we hope you’re good at jousting… because… yeah. Seriously. It is. What are some crazy fun facts about Maryland? Those aren’t the only fun facts about Maryland we can come up with off the tops of our heads. There are quite a few, turns out! Harriet Tubman herself was born here, for example, and we couldn’t be prouder to call her our own. She became a fugitive upon hearing rumors that she was about to be sold (it makes us want to gag just typing that), so she went on the run with her children and made it safely to the north. But her story didn’t end there – oh no, she would eventually help more than 300 people find their way to freedom, too, and her legacy would cement her place as an American icon forever. Oh, and did you know Maryland was founded as a colony back in 1632? Talk about old school. What are some weird illegal things in Maryland from old laws? We love weird laws from everywhere, including Maryland. Some of our favorite illegal things in Maryland that tend to make us scratch our heads include the fact that you’re not allowed to bring a lion (yes, a lion) to the movies with you in Baltimore, so don’t even consider it. It’s also illegal for landlords or apartment complexes to forbid tenants from having traditional clotheslines. It is also illegal for a man to buy a female bartender a drink here, so guys… just don’t. Besides, she’s at work. She’s being paid to be nice; it’s known as customer service. She’s not interested, my guy.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Maryland might be a small state, but it’s not without its fun facts and offbeat trivia! Every state has some, and Maryland is no exception. Some of our favorite weird things to know about Maryland include the fact that, should you ever find yourself in a court of law, you’ll notice the judge is wearing red instead of the traditional black. Maryland was also the first state to open a school, and it’s been home to not one but several US capitols over the years before it was officially moved to DC. Oh… and when it comes to the official state sport, we hope you’re good at jousting… because… yeah. Seriously. It is.
What are some crazy fun facts about Maryland?
Those aren’t the only fun facts about Maryland we can come up with off the tops of our heads. There are quite a few, turns out! Harriet Tubman herself was born here, for example, and we couldn’t be prouder to call her our own. She became a fugitive upon hearing rumors that she was about to be sold (it makes us want to gag just typing that), so she went on the run with her children and made it safely to the north. But her story didn’t end there – oh no, she would eventually help more than 300 people find their way to freedom, too, and her legacy would cement her place as an American icon forever. Oh, and did you know Maryland was founded as a colony back in 1632? Talk about old school.
What are some weird illegal things in Maryland from old laws?
We love weird laws from everywhere, including Maryland. Some of our favorite illegal things in Maryland that tend to make us scratch our heads include the fact that you’re not allowed to bring a lion (yes, a lion) to the movies with you in Baltimore, so don’t even consider it. It’s also illegal for landlords or apartment complexes to forbid tenants from having traditional clotheslines. It is also illegal for a man to buy a female bartender a drink here, so guys… just don’t. Besides, she’s at work. She’s being paid to be nice; it’s known as customer service. She’s not interested, my guy.
