Orphan Train (2026)

: Many children were legally adopted, treated as beloved family members, and given education and opportunities they never would have had.

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

: Upon arrival, children were often lined up on a platform or in a town hall for prospective parents to inspect. This process was sometimes dehumanizing, with adults checking children’s teeth or muscles as if evaluating livestock. Placement Realities : Orphan Train

: By 1890, over 150,000 miles of track were used to transport these children.

: 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. : Many children were legally adopted, treated as

The was a massive social experiment in the United States that relocated an estimated 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children from crowded Eastern cities to rural homes in the Midwest and West. Lasting from 1854 to 1929, it is widely considered the precursor to the modern American foster care system. Core History & Origins

: 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 The was a massive social experiment in the

The history of the Orphan Train has been revitalized in popular culture, most notably by Christina Baker Kline in her 2013 novel .