Orphan Trains Did Exist!
I finished a great book this week: Orphan Train. It is written by Christina Baker Kline. Wow! Very interesting. This is a historical fiction novel about a teen, Molly, connecting with a 91 year old woman, Vivian. I mean REALLY "connecting" here! The teen is in and out of foster homes and finds herself doing community service by cleaning out this elderly woman’s attic. The older woman was an "orphan train rider" from long ago. Both these characters had a LOT in common! Both were unwanted.
Orphan trains really existed! These were trains that carried infants and children from New York to the the Midwest between the early 1850s and the late 1920s. The purpose of the orphan trains was to find homes for these unwanted children and get them off the streets and out of orphanages back east. During this period of time, approximately 200,000+ children were transported to the Midwest.
So back to the story, the author weaves a great story between Vivian’s life from leaving NY to riding the orphan train and moving from household to household. It is very sad at times. Molly can relate because she has been in and out of several foster homes.
This story keeps you interested from beginning to end. I didn’t want it to end! I was so intrigued about this period in history – one I had never heard about in my life that I researched another book to read. I finished reading ‘Orphan Train Rider: One Boy’s True Story’ by Andrea Warren. Amazing! Simply amazing!
Are you familiar with the "Orphan Trains" from long ago?
I’ve never heard of them but now I’m intrigued. I’m guessing these were children of recent immigrants who realized they couldn’t afford to care for them when they got here and discovered the streets weren’t really paved of gold?
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I had heard of the orphan trains, but I do not know many details.
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I knew of them from some tv show I had seen. The book sounds like a good read to me.
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yes, in the back of my mind, i knew about them. the idea was a good one but in reality, maybe not so much. take care,
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RYN: PT are professionals contracted to do PT. I didn’t expect them to move furniture. I’m sure it’s a liability issue. Also, what if they got hurt..
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I met someone who’s father was on one of the Orphan Trains. But for the life of me I can’t remember who now.
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I didn’t even know that happened. I don’t find it shocking though. Maybe when I have time in the summer, I will look it up.
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That sounds very interesting! 🙂
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I just read this Book today. A gal in my Bookclub was talking about it and I put it on hold at the Library. I got it late this afternoon and by 10:30pm I was done. Once I started I didn’t want to quit. I just placed on hold a few true stories of the Orphan Train. I had recalled you said something about this subject so I came to see if it was the same book. It is.
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