National Orphan Train exhibit
Event Details
612 2nd Ave.
Vinton, IA 52349
Contact Name: Sharon Happel
Email: sharonhappel@gmail.com
Phone: 319-533-4524
Event Description
The Benton County Historical Society, is excited to present the traveling exhibit “All Aboard the Orphan Train!”
A response to the inadequacies of the welfare system during a time when immigration and overcrowding in New York was at its greatest and precursor to modern day foster care and adoption processes, homeless children were transported to rural communities across the country in hopes of providing a better life for them.
Visitors will delve into individual stories and the challenges faced by children, many of whom were unaware they had been adopted. The exhibit highlights the 1complexities of their experiences, emphasizing the ratio o1f suitable to unsuitable placements in the homes where these children were sent.
The exhibit sheds light on the vital roles of orphan train agents, who placed children in homes and undertook various duties to ensure their welfare. Additionally, visitors will learn about the criteria used by organizations like the New York Foundling Hospital to approve foster families and how these decisions shaped the lives of the children in their care.
Visit Us!
This free exhibit, located in the Vinton Depot, is handicap accessible. For more information including times the exhibit is open, please call or text 319-533-4524.
