Hobos

One little known fact about hobos is that they have an annual convention. This convention takes place during the second weekend of August in Britt, Iowa. They elect an annual Hobo King and Hobo Queen.

This is just one of the many things you never knew you wanted to know about hobos. Britt, Iowa is a tiny, unassuming town which is "home" to hobos young and old. Housed in an old movie theater is the musty hobo museum.

Adam and I walked into the Hobo Museum and Gift Shop and were greeted by a portly dirty little woman. I'm not sure if she was a hobo herself, or if she had been touching a lot of newspapers. She showed us to the back room and turned the lights on. She handed us a guide and left us to peruse the artifacts of Hobos who had "taken the westbound train" (died).

A hobo is not a homeless person, but someone who travels to find work. Often times, they'll take their special craft (carving, quilting, etc) and use it to make a modest living until they can find work. Hobos live in a "jungle" (hobocamp!!) and share what they can. At the first hobo convention in 1894 (not held in Britt), a hobo constitution was drafted. They have a secret hobo code language to help other hobos along.

Don't get me wrong, the hobo life seems like a lot of fun. You ride trains, you're kinda dirty, you work for your food, you make hobo friends and you get a hobo name. I think that if Adam was a hobo, his name would be Pale-Boy Adam, and if I was a hobo my name would be Cake-Arm Al.

I'm happy we're not hobos, mainly because those names are dumb.