By definition hobos are people who travel from town to town taking odd jobs as they go. But some towns are friendlier than others, and hobos developed a system of symbols they left one another to know what to expect from a town.
This episode dives into the fascinating world of hobo signs—a coded system that traveling workers used to leave messages for each other marking safe places to eat, dangerous areas to avoid, and other helpful tips for life on the road. Josh and Chuck explore the origins of the word "hobo" itself, the various symbols hobos created to communicate with each other, and whether this entire sign system actually existed or was possibly invented by early 20th-century media. They also touch on some genuinely documented hobo communication methods and even draw a fun parallel to modern "war chalking," when early 2000s hobos would mark spots with free Wi-Fi for their fellow travelers.
No movies have been linked to this episode.
💬 Comments
Log in to leave a comment.