Box-Car Bertha

Of the millions of people riding the rails during the thirties, many of them were young women. They often dressed in men's clothing and cut their hair to protect themselves. Many traveled singly while others traveled in groups for protection. Their reasons for leaving home were the same as for their male counterparts. They left for economic reasons or to find adventure. Box-Car Bertha is one of the most well known hobos and had ridden the rails most of her life. The following excerpt is from her book Sister of the Road, which was written by Ben L. Reitman. She discusses the different types of women she has encountered and the methods they used to get food, shelter, and protection.

Girls and women of every variety seemed to keep Chicago as their hobo center. They came in bronzed...