Orphan Train Children

From the mid 1850s to 1929 between 150,000 to 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children made their way west from the U.S. East Coast to be adopted into new homes and families in the Midwest, West and Canada. Because they moved primarily via trains they were commonly known as orphan train children.

Kansas played a role in this movement as a final destination for many children and continues to remember them, their families of origin, adoptive families and their life changing experiences with a museum and research center in Concordia.

The links below connect you to the tragic and triumphant stories of the children and adults who were involved in this great social experiment. We've emphasized information resources for Kansas but have included other related sources as well.

National Orphan Train Complex
http://www.orphantraindepot.com/index.html
(Located in Concordia, Kansas, the Complex has a museum and research center. The website includes a history of the orphan trains and personal stories by adoptees)
---Museum Virtual Tour
---Orphan Train History
---Orphan Train Rider Stories
---Website Archives
---Links to Primary Resource Facilities

Orphan Trains of Kansas
http://www.kancoll.org/articles/orphans/
(History, stories, newspaper accounts, graphics and references provided on the Kansas Collection website)

Bibliography of Printed Material on Orphan Train Children
http://sites.google.com/site/ks150slk/orpantrains
(prepared by the Kansas Collection and State Library of Kansas)

Library Holdings at the State Library of Kansas, Kansas State Historical Society and Washburn University (ATLAS online catalog)
ORPHAN TRAINS

The Orphan Trains
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/index.html
(website for a PBS special TV program)

The Orphan Trains/Children's Aid Society
http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/about/history/orphantrain

Orphan Trains of Nebraska
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/trains//Orphan.htm

Orphan Trains
http://www.nebraskahistory.org/sites/mnh/orphans/index.htm
(Nebraska State Historical Society)

Orphan Train
http://iagenweb.org/iaorphans/
(Iowa GenWeb Project)

Some Orphan Trains Genealogy Links
http://www.genealinks.com/orphantrain.htm

Orphan Trains (Cyndi's Genealogy List)
http://www.cyndislist.com/orphans.htm#Orphans

Orphan Train (song) written by Utah Phillips
---The Song Lyrics
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Orphan_Train.htm
---The Song on YouTube (performed by Dry Branch Fire Squad)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-og-66Bzwzw

Article contact: Bill Sowers