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Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On August 22, 1900, a real hootenanny came together as the first official National Hobo Convention got underway in Britt. For 122 years and counting, hobos and hobos-at-heart have gathered in the Hancock County town and crowned the Hobo King and Queen.
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During the late 1800s and early 1900s, itinerant workers traveled the rails of the United States seeking daily work. Riding lines throughout the country, hobos started to come together for a convention in Chicago prior to 1900. After attending the event, some local citizens of Britt became determined to host the event.
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With annual activities including a ceremonial lighting of the “Hobo Jungle” campfire, a parade, and even a funeral for those unfortunate hobos who ‘caught the westbound,’ Britt continues to preserve an important part of America’s past. The crowd participation-based crowning event caps off a unique celebration that also features locals cooking up 5,000 servings worth of ‘Hobo Stew.’
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The celebration also features small-town staples like a carnival, parade, and other festivities. Britt also maintains the National Hobo Museum and a specific cemetery section that provides a resting place and remembrance for many of the restless ramblers who’ve ‘caught the westbound.’ #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryCalendar
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