Orphan Trains of the United States

Between 1854 and 1930, an estimated 150,000 - 200,000 children were transported by train from the eastern United States to foster and adoptive families in the American Mid-West.

Orphan Trains

A brief synopsis of the Orphan Trains with reading and video references for students and teachers.... [more]

Sister Mary James' Story
From the orphan train that carried her from New York to Louisiana, the story of Sarah Hunt, now Sister Mary James, Dominican Sister.

The American Orphan Trains
Transcript of the PBS program including excerpts from diaries and testimonies of organizers, riders, and parents.

The Orphan Train
An historical look at the westward bound orphan trains, from a Washington Post article by Andrea Warren.

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