Hobo History

Expanded View “Riding the rails”

    The name "Hobo" first started appearing in the early 1800's.  Before the Civil War many hobos had taken to the rails as a way of life.  Around the time of the Civil War, railroads were being built a an astonishing rate and in the early 1870's there were between 50,000 and 60,000 miles of track interwoven throughout the United States.  During the early days late 1880's a depressed economy was certainly prevalent, times were hard and hoboes took to the rails in great numbers, hitchhikers were also increasing, nobody had any money to go anywhere and pay the ticket to get there.