TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Vigo County History Center dove into the history of orphan trains, during a program.
Jamie Poorman is the head librarian of the Marshall Public Library, but she was in Vigo County today, as she says this topic has always caught her eye. Especially since during her presentations, some have never heard of it or do not realize the length and impact of orphan trains.
Orphan trains are children who were being sent to live with families. Children were not only sent by trains, but also by boat. In some cases, children were mail-ordered with specific requests from asylums, according to Poorman.
“One of the most interesting this is that there were over two hundred fifty thousand children that were sent west from mostly New York, but also other cities like Boston and Philadelphia and this movement lasted for 75 years. From 1854 till 1929, so it’s a huge piece of history,” Said Poorman.
Poorman will give a presentation about the orphan trains again in Charleston Illinois at the Illinois State Genealogy Society Regional conference, on September 6th.
