Saturday, July 30, the Railway Museum of San Angelo, located at 703 S. Chadbourne St, will host its 4th Annual "Hobo Day." The public is invited, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., to join in on the celebration of the fun and rich heritage of the "American Hobo."
David Wood, President of the RMSA, said, "We're going to have several things going on including our 'it's hot enough to fry an egg on the track' competition at 3 p.m. For this event, guests, ages 1-5 and 6-12, will receive an egg with their admission and can 'fry' the egg on the rail. Prizes will be awarded to all of the winners, which will include a one-year pass for four to the museum." Wood noted. "With the hot days we have been having, the temperature on the rail can get up over 138 degrees."
Wood added, "Hobos were considered the top class of the unemployed during the Great Depression, as they would travel from town to town by freight train looking for work. Many would settle down when they found a town and job they liked. But for most, it was the adventure of traveling the rails that kept drawing them back into the hobo life. After the Civil War, many men headed west in search of work. Many carried a hoe with them. These 'hoe boys' eventually became known as 'hobos.' Hobos were not 'bums' or 'tramps'; they were men seeking work wherever they could find it. They lived out of doors in camps known as 'jungles.' The dangers of travel by hopping trains crippled many."
Wood also said during the period of the Great Depression, between 1930 and 1942, the American hobo ranks swelled.
"[An] estimated of more than one million men, women and children were riding the rails on any given day in search of work," said Wood. "Given the broad spectrum of people in the mass migration of skilled and unskilled workers, the hobo culture reached unprecedented levels of sophistication. Contact with wandering hobos was a common experience, and they infused the American language with a wealth of popular lingo that is still in use today. Modern day hobos are an eclectic mix of subcultures seeking adventure. Freight hopping remains one of the last true red blooded adventures in a post frontier America."
During the event, guests are able to try 'Hobo Stew,' partake in a Hobo Costume Contest at 2 p.m. and bean bag toss and washer pitching contests. Regular admission is $5 for age 12 and up, $3 for age 4 to 11, and free for ages 3 and under. There is no need for reservations, so bring the family, friends and cameras, and join in on the adventure.
To get some ideas for how to dress as a Hobo, or for more information on the Hobo Festival, check out the Museum’s web site at www.railmuseumsanangelo.
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