Orphan Train [ 4K • HD ]

: 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.

: Others were viewed merely as free labor for farms. Instances of neglect, physical abuse, and the permanent separation of siblings were common. Modern Cultural Impact Orphan Train

: 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" : In the mid-19th century, cities like New

: It explores rootlessness, the search for identity, and the shared trauma of being "unwanted" across different generations. Quick Facts Duration : 1854–1929 (75 years). Modern Cultural Impact : While the Children's Aid

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

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

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