Hobo facts for kids
A hobo is a person who travels from place to place, often looking for work. They are usually homeless and move around to find jobs in different towns and cities. Hobos often traveled by train, riding without paying.
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What is a Hobo?
A hobo is a person who is homeless and travels to different cities and towns. Their main goal is to find work wherever they go. This is different from a "tramp," who travels but does not work, or a "bum," who does not travel or work. Hobos were often skilled workers who had lost their jobs.
How Hobos Traveled
Hobos usually traveled by train. They would "hop" onto empty train freight cars without buying a ticket. This was a free, but often dangerous, way to travel long distances. Sometimes, they would even "ride the rods." This meant lying in a very risky spot underneath the train cars, close to the wheels.
Where Hobos Lived
When hobos arrived in a city, they would try to find very cheap hotels. If they couldn't afford a hotel, they would camp outdoors. They often built simple shelters called "shanties" in camps near the train tracks. These camps were sometimes called "shantytowns."
Hobos and the Great Depression
There were many hobos in the United States during the Great Depression. This was a very difficult time in the 1930s when many people lost their jobs and homes. Because so many people were struggling, more and more people became hobos. Many people blamed the President at the time, Herbert Hoover, for the Depression. Because of this, hobo camps were sometimes called "Hoovervilles." These names showed how unhappy people were with the situation.
Images for kids
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This is a hobo stove, a small stove that hobos could carry. It burned wood and used air to make heat.
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This picture shows a guide from the 1920s with symbols that beggars supposedly used in France. These symbols might have helped them know where to find food or danger.
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These symbols on a mailbox post were drawn by hobos during the Great Depression. They are now at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.
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Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan in the movie The Kid from 1921.
