All Aboard! Relive Iowa's Inspiring Orphan Train Heritage
Schedule
Tue, 28 Jul, 2026 at 05:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
100 N 3rd Ave W, Newton, IA, United States, Iowa 50208 | Newton, IA
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Join Iowa author and historian, Darcy Maulsby for a fascinating look at Iowa's orphan train heritage.Imagine you're a young child from New York City, and you're told you're going on a train ride--only you have no idea what lies ahead.
From 1854 to 1929, a network of “orphan trains” relocated as many as 300,000 children from East Coast orphanages in cities like Boston and New York City to at least 39 states. Iowa was among the top states for many of these kids who started new lives in the Midwest and beyond. In fact, roughly 8,000 to 10,000 of these needy children were brought to Iowa to live with both farmers and town residents. These children were taken in by families in at least 316 Iowa towns. For many, this was a story of second chances, hope and resilience. You'll be touched by the incredible stories of some of these orphan train riders and how their lives evolved after moving to Iowa.
This program is open to the public and free to attend. Sponsored by the Newton Public Library Foundation.
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Where is it happening?
100 N 3rd Ave W, Newton, IA, United States, Iowa 50208Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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