Many businesses in downtown Plymouth had visits from groups of hobos on Tuesday as a part of the Time Travel History Camp offered by the Marshall County Museum.
Each day this week students going into 3rd, 4th and 5th grades this fall that are participating in this first time camp are experiencing special themed days. June 16th was Train Tuesday. The campers learned about the trains that traveled through Marshall County and the hobos that walked followed the railroads.
According to Wikipedia a hobo is a migratory worker or homeless vagabond – one who is penniless. Unlike “tramps”, who work only when they are forced to, and “bums”, who do not work at all, “hobos” are traveling workers.
It is unclear exactly when hobos first appeared on the American railroading scene but with the end of the American Civil War in the 1860s, many discharged veterans returning home began hopping freight trains. Others looking for work on the American frontier followed the railways west aboard freight trains in the late 19th century.
The number of hobos increased greatly during the Great Depression era of the 1930s. With no work and no prospects at home, many decided to travel for free by freight train and try their luck elsewhere. Life as a hobo was dangerous. They used a special language and secret signs to point out locations where a handout could be obtained or a location where hobos weren’t welcome.
On Tuesday, three groups of hobo’s with bandana packs on sticks traveled the streets of Plymouth looking for friendly businesses and trying to stay away from those who weren’t accepting.
As they were welcomed into businesses the hobos were given trinkets for their packs.