Orphan Train File

: In 1853, Charles Loring Brace founded the Children's Aid Society . He believed that taking children out of "vile" urban environments and placing them with hardworking farm families would give them a better chance at becoming moral, productive citizens.

: You can visit the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, Kansas, which serves as a museum and research center for descendants. The Past is Prologue: The Orphan Train Movement Orphan Train

: In the mid-19th century, cities like New York and Boston faced a crisis of "street children"—tens of thousands of homeless youth living in poverty, often turning to crime or facing starvation. : In 1853, Charles Loring Brace founded the

: The book intertwines the story of Vivian, a 91-year-old former "Orphan Train rider," with Molly, a contemporary foster teen. The Past is Prologue: The Orphan Train Movement

: Children were sent in batches by rail to predetermined stops in the Midwest.

: While the Children's Aid Society was the largest, other groups like the New York Foundling Hospital and the New York Juvenile Asylum also participated. The Journey and "Selection"

: It explores rootlessness, the search for identity, and the shared trauma of being "unwanted" across different generations. Quick Facts Duration : 1854–1929 (75 years).