Mansfield, Ohio, had its own unique chapter in hobo history—a period roughly spanning from 1875 to 1945 when the town was just the right size to attract “hobos,” a nomadic subculture traveling the country on trains without tickets. These individuals made their way across America by hopping onto boxcars, flatcars, or even clinging to rods beneath train carriages.richlandcountyhistory
The original hobos were veterans displaced by the devastation of the Civil War and the Panic of 1873, which brought economic hardship. Unable to return to settled lives, many became “hoe boys,” traveling as seasonal agricultural laborers wherever work was available.richlandcountyhistory
Over time, hobo society developed its own hierarchies:
Working tramps and bindle stiffs: Job-seekers willing to work.
Stewbums: Hobos without ambition.
Alki stiffs: Those crippled by alcoholism.
Profesh: Professional beggars and criminals.
The largest hobo jungle in Mansfield was just south of the Park Avenue West bridge, along the Richland B&O Trail. This camp offered a shady grove near the tracks, clear creek, and little interference from landowners—making it an ideal temporary home for “road kids” and down-on-their-luck men.richlandcountyhistory
Mansfield maintained an uneasy tolerance for these settlements, occasionally dismantling them, especially between 1914 and 1938 when law enforcement would burn out tents and lean-tos to discourage vagrancy.
Three railroads ran through Mansfield, providing ample opportunity for travel in any direction. However, only certain areas (notably near Park Avenue West) were safe for hobos to board or depart from trains due to traffic patterns and security by railway police or “bulls.”
The west side was preferred by hobos because trains would slow down upon entering or leaving the city, making it easier to slip on or off.richlandcountyhistory
Families near the tracks often received soft knocks at their back doors; tramps asked for something to eat. Locals felt civic pride assisting these wanderers—giving out “hand outs” (sandwiches with butter) or inviting them for a “sit down” meal.richlandcountyhistory
The end of the hobo era came with the decline of railroads and the advent of Social Security. This bittersweet lifestyle—one of humiliation and freedom—was lost, including the dream of “scenery bums” who hopped trains just for adventure, no longer possible in modern times.richlandcountyhistory
For more detailed historical storytelling and anecdotes, Mansfield’s Hobo Jungles: Part One offers a vivid glimpse into this forgotten world.