These Are Some of the Craziest Laws in the United States, as Well as Some that Were Totally Made Up

12. Camels are banned from public roads in Nevada

This law actually made some sense when it was enacted, though there aren’t that many camels roaming the American Southwest today. During the 19^th century, the US Army experimented with a camel corps, intended to supplement the horses of the cavalry in desert conditions. The experiment failed, and several dozen camels were transferred into private hands, where they proved useful in many circumstances. They were still fairly common when the automobile came into being and was banned from the public roads because they were notoriously skittish and dangerous when an automobile approached. The law remains in effect.

In Elko, Nevada, a law requires people walking on the streets of the city wear a mask at all times. The law was borne of the 1918-20 Spanish Flu pandemic that caused a huge number of deaths around the world in the aftermath of the great conflagration known as World War One. Masks were believed to be effective against the spread of influenza. A century later, walking the streets of Elko while wearing a mask is more likely to draw the attention of the constabulary than appearing without one, but the law remains on the books. Eureka, Nevada has a law which prohibits a man with a mustache from kissing a woman.