Browse Items (443 total)

Rambling Rudy's canvas bag

From the book "The Hobo Style".

Gas Can Patty's gas can

From the book "The Hobo Style".

Jungle hook

From the book "The Hobo Style".

Misc. items from hobo jungle

From the book "The Hobo Style".

Hobo bread button

Traditionally, travelers would bake bread over a jungle fire in a #10 tin can. Today, many bakeries have used the hobo figure for business reasons, including the naming of businesses.

Monkey’s Fist Rope

This an actual end of a ship’s hawser line – the heavy cables that anchored ships. Frying' Plan Jack tied this sample to show how a real monkey’s fist was used aboard ship. There would be a rock or piece of metal inside the rope (heavy enough that…

Wood Carved Shoe

Very detailed, hand carved, holes were hand-drilled. Could be used as a match holder – very utilitarian. Sabot is a French word from which sabotage is derived. Wobblies carved wooden shoes to symbolize their disdain for rich captains of industry…

Pennsylvania Kid's Razor and Black Box

From the book "The Hobo Style". Items found in the National Hobo Museum in Britt, Iowa.

1979 Hobo Jungle - News Special

A segment from a talk show titled “Real People,” featuring a description about the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa, with an emphasis about the annual Hobo King and Queen elections. Raw footage from the convention featuring famous and…