Is that really a law? Why pickles must bounce in Connecticut and other unusual statutes around the nation.

• Author: Potenza, Alessandra
• Position: Cover story

Try buying a car on Sunday in Minnesota, hunting for Bigfoot in Washington State, or dancing to the national anthem in Massachusetts, and you could be arrested or fined. Well, at least in theory. There are many odd-sounding laws on the books around the U.S. today. Some are actually null (they have no legal or binding force) because they're decades or even centuries old, no longer serve any purpose, or are unconstitutional by today's standards. But no matter how weird they sound to us today, these laws often made sense, at least to some people, at the time. Here are some of the unusual laws we found around the U.S.

Leave Bigfoot Alone! Washington

Hunting Bigfoot, the mythical ape-man also known as Sasquatch, is strictly off-limits in two Washington State counties. In 1992, Whatcom County declared itself a Sasquatch refuge and protection area. According to lawmakers, if Bigfoot did exist, it would be endangered and need protection. The law is also meant to prevent hunters from accidentally shooting people mistaken for the giant creature, whose legend dates back to early Native American tribes. But if you do manage to kill the real Bigfoot, just make sure it isn't in Skamania County. Since 1969, the county has had a Sasquatch protection ordinance: Bigfoot's killer faces a $1,000 fine and up to one year in prison.

Don't Mispronounce Our Name! ARKANSAS

How do you say Arkansas? You better know before you visit the state. An 1881 resolution that's still on the books says the final s in "Arkansas" should be silent. In short, don't pronounce it "Ahr-KAN-zuhs," like the state of Kansas. The controversy dates back to 1673, when French explorers first met the Arkansas Indians. The French couldn't quite understand the tribe's name and most settlers pronounced "Arkansas" with a silent s. But even when Congress created the Territory of "Arkansaw" in 1819, confusion over how to pronounce it persisted. Finally, the state legislature stepped in to settle the issue. Says Arkansas historian Michael Dougan: "It's a matter of honor that the name of the state be pronounced correctly."

Drop Those Pickles! CONNECTICUT

A pickle has to bounce to be considered a pickle in Connecticut. The regulation has its roots in a 1948 incident in which pickle packers Sidney Sparer and Moses Dexler were arrested for selling rotten pickles "unfit for human consumption," according to the Connecticut State Library. After the men's arrest, Connecticut's food and drug commissioner...