Our Mascot "Hobo"

The Story of Hobo and the Hobo Fountain

Hobo was reportedly found in a snowdrift in the mid twenties, and lived off the “fat of the land”, scrounging winter and summer from merchants, visitors and residents alike.  He had free run of the beach and boardwalk where dogs were not allowed. He might end up napping on a visitor’s beach blanket, or stop by an ice cream parlor at the same time every evening, so we’ve been told, for a dish of ice cream.



When he died the local school children raised money for a memorial for him and for many years it stood on the corner of the high school grounds, then at the museum location at 409 Wesley Avenue. When that building was torn down and the museum relocated, it was placed in front of 1139 Wesley Avenue, at that time another location of the museum. In the summer of 1999 the monument was damaged by vandals and was removed for repairs. This monument is listed as the only outdoor sculpture dedicated to an animal in New Jersey.

Today, after extensive repairs, we are rededicating the Hobo Monument and placing it, hopefully, in its final resting place. 

December 10, 2000