Hobo Junction?

[Gettintoknowsomethin]

I live in a small town in South Wisconsin that dates back to the middle 1800s. I am new to this hobby and am learning more each day as it warms up around here. It has come to my attention while I was chatting with a lifelong resident here of 93 years old that there is a 4 acre area hidden in the woods just outside of town that was called Hobo Junction by the locals here. It was very active by the rail road hobos for over 50 years. They had numerous shacks and other shelters in this 4 acre area. I checked with the local police here and they stated the property was owned by no one at this time and I would be welcomed to use my detector there. I was wondering if any of you history experts out there might have some feed back as to if this kind of place would be any good for me to detect at? Thanks for your answers!

 

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[Lowbatts]

sardine tins, tobacco tins, little or no change to speak of. Maybe a small hidey hole cache of a buck or two face value if you're lucky!

 

[stefen]

Probably a better place to hunt than a public park or a popular picnic area...Just think of it as a constantly changing mobile society over a half century's time.

Usually, these places were used by seasonal workers and indigents, however, as campers, they also had a tendency to lose pocket change, pocket knives and other personal objects...

Many people from all walks of life took to the by-ways and trains during the depression era...a once well-to-do gentleman, turned hobo, may have lost a gold ring, pocket watch or cuff links...

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if one couldn't find hand guns, knives, brass knuckles and the like. You would have to assume that there was a certain contingent of criminals in and amoungst those trying to survive in the bad times.

Most likely would find all types of eating and cooking utensils...

 

[wormhole]

I am a history fanatic so I would definitely hit that place. The homeless of yore may not have had deep pockets but I am sure there are plenty of other treasures just waiting to be plucked from the earth. As Lowbatts has stated..tobacco tins, sardine cans and quite a lot of other items may very well be all over the place but there is a large group of people in this country that collect items just like that. Some older tobaaco tims are beautifully decorated and ornate. Maybe you'll find a coin or two. Maybe a cache from a paranoid hobo...let your imagination run. It's half the fun! By all means do your research..check older aerial maps for possible shanty locations (www.historicaerials.com)and never forget to take your imagination with you.

Welcome to the most exciting hobby on earth!

 

[Gettintoknowsomethin]

When I was a kid I met a Rail road hobo. He wasn't like the homeless we see today The original Rail road hobo worked For their food and other needs. They seemed to have a type of comradely, They looked out for each other in their travels. I wonder what kind of history might be buried there?.

 

[Tubecity]

I agree that it would make an interesting place to hunt just because it dated to the middle 1800's.
Just one good old coin could make it worthwhile. Plus you never know, maybe one of those old
hobos came across some extra money or something of value & decided to stash it & come back
for it later. From what I've read, riding the rails was not exactly a safe mode of transportation,
with some being robbed or having their heads busted & tossed off the train by some railroad
'bull' . I see it as a good a place to hunt as anywhere else. Good luck.

 

[camperlee]

being a hobo didn't really mean you were poor they seemed to have money when needed.I think they were just a breed of men that liked doing what they did ride trains from coast to coast I had an uncle that did it when he was a young man but he kind of changed with the times.

 

[jeff of pa]

possability of original hobo Nickels


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo_nickel

http://hobonickels.org/

 

[BIG61AL]

I am sure lots of alcohol was consumed at these camps. That means drunk people walking about the woods. Some coinage must have been dropped. A dropped coin in overgrown grass/weeds was as good as lost forever ..... that is until you find it.

 

[bigfish31]

Watch out for needles.

 

[davidtn]

When was it last used by "Hobos"?

 

[Gettintoknowsomethin]

Thanks for all the advice! I have decided to detect there. I dont know if I will find anything but at least I can practice useing my new Safari!

 

[davidtn]

Keep us posted as to what you find.

 

[liftloop]

That is so kool Ididn't know that thank for the inlightment.

 

[rmptr]

I'm with Lowbatts...

Anyone recall the movie, 'Jerry McGuire', with Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

"Show me the Money, Show me the Money!"

Well, for a highly likely chance of finding valuables, you got to follow the money...

Here, I ran a Google Images for 'hobo'.



What would you think the prospects are?

 

[liftloop]

Come to think of it my son last week was telling me he wanted to be a hobo He's only 12.I can't wait to show him those hobo nickel and It,s the damdist thing that the one coin on top of my list this year is the buflo nickel ! that is so uncany

 

[davidtn]

What the flarb?

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Would be worth detecting but there will be lots of trash! HH, Mike

 

[Massbaycolonist]

We had railroad hobos down behind my house when I was growing up. Guys such as Eddy Supurski. I suspect you will find a lot of bottle caps and beer cans. Not much else. Just my opinion, but go for it, and best wishes. HH

 

[Lowbatts]

Where most of those sites existed up until I was kid just turns out to be the same type of sites these days, except shanties have become more complex. There are "humanitarians" among us that actively enable these people that use these sites these days. I will try to get pics of the next few I run into.

Usually surrounded by piles of beer cans and countless cans of silver and gold spray paint that the "huffers" make off with from the hardware stores, they also contain bicycles, many bicycles in various states of disassmebly.

The modern bum or if you prefer "homeless person" goes into town, gets his free square at the local enablers shop, (in our case one large church that actually brings them into town) then cuts them loose on the town. They invariable steal a bike and make for the known hobo condos, seen multi-unit places out there in the woods around town.

Tearing a few of these up there results in the predictable giveaways. From Chicago, there are groups that actually pass out full size Alice packs with personal effects for hygiene and sleeping gear including those pack cots. That is the first sign, because those items are dumped nearby. Inside the shanty there will be one or more purses, snatched from who knows where, wallet or two, several cell phones now broken, roller skates seem popular for some reason, could be the locations being near bike/skate paths and the car break-ins result in these sort of returns.

And of course, the homebrew drug hardware.

It's just not so romantic a vision of life on the road anymore. Bob Dylan must be proud, sure Woody Guthrie would be a huffer these days and garble his speech rather freely.