In this segment from the west by orphan train documentary, mercy train rider bernadette schaefer recalls her happy childhood after she was placed on a farm in nebraska as a young child. The lucky ones would go on to be adopted and welcomed into loving families, but too often these children were treated like servants or wors. Check out this trailer for west by orphan train, an upcoming public television documentary. In all some 200,000250,000 mostly children of immigrants were shipped out by train from boston and new york for placement with people across the width of the u. A riveting look at the orphan train from historical novelist jody hedlund when a financial crisis in 1850s new york leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, elise neumann, knows she must take action.
The brave journey of an orphan train rider, which chronicles the true life story of his paternal grandmother an orphan train rider sent to. Brace, the founder of the childrens aid society, the orphan train was meant to help children who. Ten winners will each receive a copy of home of the brave by katherine applegate. Check out this trailer for west by orphan train, an upcoming public television. On this episode of talk of iowa, charity nebbe speaks with clark kidder and colleen bradford krantz about the orphan trains, their. Between 1854 and 1929, as many as 250,000 children from new york and other eastern cities were sent by train to towns in midwestern and western states, as well as canada and mexico. The three different stories in the trilogy are about three friends, so their lives intertwine throughout each book, but you get a more detailed account of each girls life in her own book in the trilogy. Orphan train riders, from the riders on the orphan train multimedia performance at union depot in st. West by orphan train, a documentary film completed in october 2014, offers that understanding. Orphan train rider stories i rode the train to missouri and lived a happily ever after life.
West by orphan train, a documentary film completed late in 2014, offers that understanding. Chad elliott, who created the music for the documentary, including an original song with lyrics, was honored with the top award for original music composition. Orphan train by christina baker kline i remember at the age of 10 or so reading a novel about the late19th and early 20thcentury orphan trains, which took children and babies from east coast slums and brought them to the midwest, where they were given an opportunity for a potentially prosperous new life in the fresh rural air. West by orphan train not rated 59min documentary 1 december 2014 usa it seems incomprehensible that there was a time in americas notsodistant past when nearly a quarter of a million children from east coast orphanages were loaded on trains and sent west. Available in a special hardcover edition, christina baker klines smash bestseller that is a lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of american history ann packer. Orphan train west series in order jane peart fictiondb. The complete series list for orphan train west jane peart. Dorothy mae johnson born dorothy kathryn brooks in new york city on may 23, 1911 was an orphan train rider. However the numbers were so great that a unique solution, the socalled orphan trains solution developed starting in 1854 and lasting until 1929. Live from the orphan train work call 2 25 2018 mouse river players community theatre is bringing to life aurand harris the orphan train. From 1854 to 1929, more than 200,000 children traveled by train from the east coast to seek new homes in nearly every state in the continental united states.
They were all written up in the same record books and, on the whole, managed by the same people. Borrowing the voices from different generations, the author has created a an endearing tale of resilience, hope, second chances and intergenerational bond. The lucky ones would go on to be adopted and welcomed into loving families. Until 1929, braces society and other charities sent more than 150,000 neglected children by train to 47 states. West by orphan train creators and contributors took home five trophies at the 2015 iowa motion picture association awards event. Six months later, a sixth child was born to the thirtyfive year old widow who was working hard to keep. It was june 29, 1917, when orphan a209 arrived at the milwaukee road depot train station in downtown minneapolis. Orphan train research person for this site is clark kidder author of emilys story. Orphan train orphan train, sung by steven simpson songwriter. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping molly out of juvie and worse. Video excerpts provided courtesy of colleen bradford krantz and clark kidder. Between 1854 and 1929, socalled orphan trains transported more than 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children many of them firstgeneration irish catholic.
It seems incomprehensible that there was a time in americas notsodistant past when nearly a quarter of a million children from east coast orphanages were loaded on trains and sent west, where they were presented for the picking. West by orphan train will tell the story of these children, who were taken from a sometimesrough existence to an unfamiliar rural setting during an era that lasted from 1854 to 1929. With bo barker, kailey johnson, brandon miller, nathan miller. Historians have determined that the large majority of orphan train children were shared or temporarily transferred and not given up. Utah philips 1 once i had a darling mother, though i cant recall her name i. It seems incomprehensible that there was a time in americas. May 24, 2016 it was june 29, 1917, when orphan a209 arrived at the milwaukee road depot train station in downtown minneapolis. New documentary chronicles orphan trains iowa public radio. She left new york on a train that stopped in algona, iowa in february 1917. Missouri woman shares story of mothers journey on orphan train may 6, 20 by mike lear for 75 years, trains carrying orphans brought about 200,000 children from new york to the rest of. In 1907 a record number of immigrants 1,285,349 entered the united states holt 1992. The need to get on board with adoption reform adoption history illustrates that public and private issues are inseparable. Apr 02, 20 vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900sera social engineering moving homeless, destitute city children, mostly immigrants, into midwest families.
Between 1854 and 1929, nearly a quarter of a million children were taken by train from the east coast. Record click states truthfully, it was not unusual for choices to come down to looks, hair, and eye. By jean sexton in brooklyn, new york in 1912, an irish carpenter, who was the father of five children, died as the result of an industrial accident. Documentary west by orphan train to screen at the plff. Borrowing the voices from different generations, the author has created a an endearing tale of resilience, hope, second chances and intergenerational bond forged over shared experiences. In all some 200,000250,000 mostly children of immigrants were shipped out by train from boston and new york. West by orphan train biff beloit international film festival. Missouri woman shares story of mothers journey on orphan. West by orphan train will air tonight on iptv at 7 pm. Write to win new york kids with their matron and a male chaperone prepare to go west above. The orphan trains, started by charles loring brace left, led to the creation of todays foster.
All domestic orders include free standard shipping. She also found the little boy named carmine, whom she had to take care of while on the orphan train. Shes had experience as a seamstress, and the new york childrens aid society has established a special service. The orphan train movement was a supervised welfare program that transported orphaned and homeless children from crowded eastern cities of the united states to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the midwest. Between 1854 and 1929 an estimated 200,000 homeless, abandoned or orphaned children were placed by eastern charity institutions like the sisters of charity in homes throughout the u. A discussion of the novel orphan train will be part of the dakota conference this. When orphans were first transported west, the facilities on the train were a little better than cattle cars with. The 2yearold girl was met by a couple who signed a receipt, promising to raise. West by orphan train, a documentary film completed in october 2014, hopes to offer that understanding. An orphan train rider tells his story in this segment from the west by orphan train documentary, orphan train rider stanley cornell recounts the story of he and. There were at least 30,000 from the streets of new york alone. Orphan trains dec 01, 2014 directed by colleen krantz. The orphan trains operated between 1854 and 1929, relocating about 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, abused, or homeless children.
To raise awareness about the orphan train movement and to preserve stories we discover on the road. Ideas about blood and belonging, nature and nurture, needs and rights are not the exclusive products of individual choices and personal freedoms. Orphan train the bowery boys west memphis fall is here human behavior youth culture library of congress photos of the week history books orphans at horse show n. It is easy in this day and age to view what happened with the orphan train as an atrocity. It looks like we dont have a synopsis for this title yet. The idea is almost unthinkable today, but it continued for some 75 years, from the 1850s to the 1920s.
The orphan train is a gripping story which cleverly weaves a relatively unknown part of american history and the contemporary. More than 200,000 homeless children were sent west on the trains. As some of the last of the stillliving orphan train riders like to remind us, it was a different era one that cant be judged without understanding what. Hedlunds cinderella story, shedding light on the hardships women faced in both the east coast cities and the developing west in the 1850s, is a pleasant romance with plenty of twists to keep readers engaged until the final page. Watch west by orphan train 2014 full movie free online.
Also, the same child might be placed one time in the west and. The national orphan train complex in concordia, ks is a museum and research center dedicated to the orphan train movement, the various institutions that participated, and the children and agents who rode the trains. Wisconsin orphan train rider biographies, research queries, and lists and dates of orphan trains stopping in wisconsin. Young minister charles loring brace founded the childrens aid society, sending orphans west to begin new lives with farm families.
The orphan train movements purpose was to give the thousands of children in new york city that were left without homes due to increased urbanization and industrialization a new family out west with good living conditions and values and to increase the number of farm workers. West by orphan train will tell the story of these children, who were. Orphan train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from christina baker kline, author of bird in hand and the way life should be penobscot indian molly ayer is close to aging out out of the foster care system. Christy awardwinner hedlund crafts an enjoyable first installment of the orphan train series. She found out that they kept his name, and he was married with a family. In 1853, 10,000 homeless children roamed new york city streets. May 06, 20 missouri woman shares story of mothers journey on orphan train may 6, 20 by mike lear for 75 years, trains carrying orphans brought about 200,000 children from new york to the rest of. By some estimates, the orphan trains transported a quarter of a million children from the cities of the eastern us to homes in the west, where they would be adopted by people they had never met. The west by orphan train documentary was produced by colleen bradford krantz and clark kidder. The orphan train society of america was founded in 1986 and still hosts reunions. As some of the last of the stillliving orphan train riders like to remind us, it was a different era one that cant be judged without understanding what lives were like then. Nov 23, 2015 in this segment from the west by orphan train documentary, mercy train rider bernadette schaefer recalls her happy childhood after she was placed on a farm in nebraska as a young child. She was deposited with the byrnes, who wanted only child labor in a dressmaking enterprise.
The orphan train movement essay 639 words bartleby. Orphan trains, social experiment, placing out, child welfare. Thousands of orphan came to iowa and other midwestern states by train. Vivians journey west was aboard an orphan train, a bit of misguided 1900sera social engineering moving homeless, destitute city children, mostly immigrants, into midwest families. Jan 30, 2014 check out this trailer for west by orphan train, an upcoming public television documentary.
589 1208 891 1372 1346 411 1488 1311 278 544 1255 360 1094 1024 1404 371 1218 1220 1293 1281 477 1355 1233 852 26 1211 434 980 533 378 1103 1418 928 785 702 1456 1162 718 1219 372 1064 72 1405 1269 85