The Weirdest Law in Missouri Involves Elephants and Beer – Really
It's really a law in Missouri and it really is strange. It involves elephants and in an unexpected twist of fate also has something to do with beer. Let's go down this rabbit (or elephant) hole.
Explore.com decided to rank the weirdest laws in each state. It's an interesting read about how how strange other states are compared to Missouri. Looking at you, Iowa and Kentucky.
What's the weirdest law in Missouri?
It's in Nachez, Missouri and it declares that you must not (under penalty of jailtime) get an elephant drunk. If you said to yourself "bet that happened once since there's a law against it", you're correct. The Explore.com article says that in 1810 a man got an elephant intoxicated and the town went wild.
What's more dangerous than an elephant loose in your Missouri town? Answer: one that's been throwing down Busch beer all night, that's what. From all reports I can find of this event online, the man meant well. He was putting on a live elephant show and with nothing else to do other than plant corn in 1810, he got the elephant drunk. Things happen.
As it turned out, it was a teachable moment though. The ruling authorities put it down in writing that you keep your whiskey away from the elephants or else. That's one thing I always appreciate about my home state of Missouri. An elephant visiting is always an opportunity to create a memory and a story.