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Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/16/2025
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Categories
Jamie Poorman, Director of the Marshall Public Library, Genealogist, and CCGS member will speak at the March 16, 2025 Meeting at 2:00 p.m. in the Rotary Room:
From New York to the Heartland: The Orphan Train Experience in Illinois
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a remarkable and heart-wrenching chapter of American history unfolded as thousands of children embarked on a journey from the crowded streets of New York City to new lives in rural communities across the nation. This was the Orphan Train Movement, a unique initiative that left a lasting impact on the children themselves, as well as on the communities that welcomed them. The movement would last for 75 years and impact an estimated 250,000 children. We will explore the beginnings of this movement, the organizations involved and the journeys taken by the children, and then take an in-depth look at the lives of a handful of orphan train riders who came to Illinois.
