Hobo Signs and Code Symbols You Didn’t Know Existed

What kinds of hobo signs and hobo codes have been used over the years? Have you ever used an emoji in place of words in a text to communicate something quickly to your friends? A pizza slice emoji, for example, to indicate how pumped you are about the pizza you’re getting with them later? Well, you have more in common with a hobo than you might think.

No offense intended: unlike calling someone a “tramp” or a “bum,” the word “hobo” is associated with traveling workers. A bum doesn’t work at all; a tramp will only work if forced to do so. A hobo, on the other hand, is a semi-respectable figure of the American underground that emerged in large numbers following the end of the American Civil War. Traveling from city to city, hobos developed an emoji-like visual code to help keep each other safe, often marking buildings with chalk or coal. Hobo symbols would indicate, for example, that it’s safe to camp nearby, or that nice, generous people live inside. These hobo codes helped migrant workers deal with the often dangerous uncertainties they would face on the road. So what do these mysterious symbols mean? Here’s a look at some symbols hobos would have encountered during their travels.