What do hobo symbols mean?
What do hobo symbols mean?
A square missing its top line — safe to camp in that spot. A top hat and a triangle — wealth. A spearhead — a warning to defend yourself. A circle with two parallel arrows — get out fast, hobos aren’t welcome. Two interlocked circles — handcuffs (i.e., hobos are jailed).
How did hobos mark houses?
These symbols, really hieroglyphs, appeared on posts and bridge abutments, on fences and outbuildings. Hobos scrawled the secret language with whatever writing implements were available—a lump of coal, chalk, a nail, or even a sharp-edged rock.
What is hobo communication sign?
What are hobo-signs? They are symbols marked on the ground or other street-furniture so railroad-hopping, homeless bums can communicate over distance and time. They might mark the site of a friendly house which will provide food, or the presence of a bad-tempered dog.
What is hobo Graffiti?
Hobos, or tramps, were itinerant workers and wanderers who illegally hopped freight cars on the newly expanding railroad in the United States in the late 19th century. They used graffiti, also known as tramp writing, as a messaging system to tell their fellow travelers where they were and where they were going.
Is the word hobo offensive?
hobo Add to list Share. Be careful when you call a vagrant or homeless person a hobo — although this is exactly what the word means, it is a somewhat offensive term. The end of the nineteenth century brought the start of the word hobo in the Western United States.
Where did hobo symbols come from?
Hobos understood that these signs came from hard-learned lessons, and, being a superstitious bunch as a whole, they took these warnings very seriously.
What is the hobo zip code?
11030
“11030” is the HOBO ZIP CODE. You can spell out HOBO by drawing a line between the 1’s to make an H and a straight line down the 3 to make a B.
What is the hobo code of ethics?
Those who follow the hobo code: An ethical code was created by Tourist Union #63 during its 1889 National Hobo Convention in St. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants.
Who was the most famous hobo?
Leon Ray Livingston
1. is arguably the most famous hobo in the United States. His given name is Leon Ray Livingston and he was born in 1872 and he was a lifelong wanderer. He was riding the rails, and stowing away on ships starting at the age of 11 and then he began to write about his journeys. He wrote about a dozen books on the subject.
Is The hobo Code real?
It was called the Hobo Code. This brilliant, hieroglyphic-like language appeared random enough for busy people to ignore, but perfectly distinctive for hobos to translate. It’s estimated that there were 250,000 teenage hobos zigzagging the rails in America from the late ’20s to early ’40s.
What is the true meaning of hobo?
A hobo is a migrant worker in the United States. Hoboes, tramps and bums are generally regarded as related, but distinct: A hobo travels and is willing to work; a tramp travels, but avoids work if possible; and a bum neither travels nor works.
What are the hobo signs?
Some hobo signs are used to warn other hobos of the presence of law enforcement or a general lack of hospitality for vagrants. A series of hash marks, for example, indicated a nearby jail. A dot under a curved line would signal an active police force, while a dot placed over a curved line would signal a lack of police activity.
What is a hobo person?
A hobo is a homeless person who lives a vagrant lifestyle, traveling from place to place. Hobos are also sometimes referred to as vagrants, tramps, or transients, depending on regional preference, and some people use the term “hobo” to refer to a specific type of vagrant homeless person.
What is the definition of Hobo?
Definition of hobo. (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : a migratory worker. 2 : a homeless and usually penniless vagabond. 3 also hobo bag : a large shoulder bag shaped like a pouch To punctuate the all-blue outfit, the actress slung on an unstructured, oversized suede hobo, a practical antidote to the current craze for fanny packs and mini bags.— Edward Barsamian.
