Water snakes on Link River. Undated photo.
Floyd Collection

Legend: An old city ordinance -- still on the books -- makes its illegal to kick the heads off of snakes.

Status: Probably true to some degree.

Discussion: At the turn of the 20th century, Klamath Falls was known to have frequent infestations of water snakes, toads and frogs. During this time, reptiles often took refuge beneath boardwalks, buildings and porches.

Occasionally a snake would poke its head up between the slats on a boardwalk, presenting a target for anyone passing by who might find sport in kicking the snake and snapping its head off. In such cases the snake's carcass would be left to decay beneath the boardwalk, creating a terrible odor.

Many of the town's early residents made statements to the effect that the city passed an ordinance making it a crime to kick the head off a snake. However, no record of such an ordinance has ever been found in city records.

At the very least, it seems likely that kicking the heads off of snakes would have been a serious no-no!