The Legacies of the Orphan Train Riders

By the 1870s the Orphan trains of the Children’s Aid Society were rolling into towns in more than 30 states. An average of over three thousand children a year were taken out of orphanages and placed with families. It is estimated that there are now over two million descendants of Orphan Train riders. This segment from the West by Orphan Train documentary includes archival photographs and an interview with Amanda Wahlmeier, former Curator at the National Orphan Train Complex.
Educational resource published by Iowa Public Television. iptv.pbslearni...
The West by Orphan Train documentary was produced by Colleen Bradford Krantz and Clark Kidder.
Video excerpts provided courtesy of Colleen Bradford Krantz and Clark Kidder. westbyorphantra...
© 2014 Colleen Bradford Krantz and Clark Kidder
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