History - That's The Law
by Bob Gunter
Take a look at any old town's codes and ordinances and you will find many laws that seem to make no sense at all. Sandpoint, Idaho had their own set of laws that look absolutely crazy today. Here are a few for you to peruse.
At first glance those laws seem to be completely nonsensical and surely came from a city council, or other governing body, that was bored and made up laws to see just how dumb they could get. If the truth was known most of these laws had their roots in situations that the city fathers felt had to be addressed for the protection of the citizens. It is hard for us to understand but we do not live in their time.
In the early 1950s the kids of Sandpoint received a blow when it was forbidden for them to play ball, or even throw a ball back and forth, on the city's streets.
If you were a fortuneteller in the late '50s you had better ply your trade outside the city limits of Sandpoint. The law also frowned on any person being hypnotized or the practice of hypnotism in the city limits. "Spell time" could mean jail time.
The next law was directed toward work. Things might have been better today if they had left it on the books. In 1958 it was against the law for any person "Without visible means of support and the physical ability to work not to seek employment or labor or to refuse to work when employment is offered." Today they would have to have a pretty big jail to house those who have learned how to work the system.
This one, which was around in the early '50's must have been dear to every driver's heart. A law was passed banning any vehicle from the streets of Sandpoint that had "wheels injurious to pavement." There was a way around this law if you were willing to lay planks in the street and drive on them.
Speeding was frowned upon and there was a law to deter those with a heavy foot. At any street crossing the top speed permitted was 10 miles per hour. On any other portion of the street you could "rev her up" to 15 miles per hour.
In 1921 if a person liked to trip the light fantastic and do a little dancing there were strict rules to follow. Dancing cheek-to-cheek was strictly forbidden. The penalty for this kind of action could be as high as $100 and if it could not be paid then you were given free rent in jail equal to one day for each two dollars of the fine.
"The times they are a changing."
To see more great old photos of Sandpoint and the surrounding areas :: Click Here ::
All photographs have been used with permission of the Bonner County Museum.
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