Indiana Statehood Day

The state colors are blue and gold. The state motto, adopted in 1937, is "The Crossroads of America." Indiana was the 19th state to enter the union. The state seal has been used since 1801 and was officially adopted in 1963.

As it turns out, Indiana still has some antiquated laws on the books as well. If not quite puritanical, these laws are certainly comical — and thankfully rarely enforced:

Mustaches are illegal if the bearer has a tendency to habitually kiss other humans.

Baths may not be taken between the months of October and March.

It is forbidden to eat watermelon at the park in Beech Grove.

It is unlawful to catch a fish with a crossbow. There are of course exceptions. One may use a crossbow to catch “Asian carp, bowfin, buffalo, common carp, gar, shad, and suckers from streams, rivers and non-flowing waters.” But nothing else!

Drinks on the house are illegal.

A person may not enter a movie house, theater or public streetcar within four hours of eating garlic.

The value of Pi is legally 3. Okay, this is not an actual law. The bill was proposed in 1897 and passed in the House but was indefinitely postponed in the Senate. So technically Pi is still 3.1415926535897932384626433… But we like that Indiana tried to protest math.

State government officials who engage in private duels can be dismissed from their posts.

It is illegal for barbers to threaten to cut off children’s ears in Elkhart.

It is illegal to force a monkey to smoke a cigarette.