Welcome to Hobo Archive! Explore the growing collection of digitized items related to the history and culture of the American hobo, the tramp, and the rail-riding community. This history collection documents the preservation of rail-riding history and culture in America. Here you can explore collections of information, documents, art, images, oral histories, artifacts, and more. These digital resources include cultural items and historical records that may be culturally sensitive. Access is made possible through partnerships with the U.S. rail-riding community and the University of Iowa.
To begin searching the archive, please refer to the search box below. Or, find the "browse items" tab, or tagged keywords in the dropdown menu, to search for a particular item.
Please note: When viewing individual items, double-click on the images to enlarge them for viewing.
Featured Item
Mountain Dew and Frisco Jack's tin craft cups
Handmade copper wire hobo cups made from a soup can and a mountain dew can. Frisco Jack is printed on the front of one can. The tin cans most likely…
Contribute to the Archive
We're interested in your help adding to the online collections.
Featured Collection
Cliff Williams' (Oats) Oral Histories with Hoboes in Britt, Iowa
Recorded interviews with current and former hoboes, including those whose stories appear in One More Train to Ride: The Underground World of Modern…
Featured Exhibit
Hobo Cultural History: Stories of Authenticity and Misrepresentation
Hoboes, tramps, and vagabonds have long been subject to stories of both authentic life experiences in the road and subject...