Newspaper Articles and Documents

Articles announcing orphan trains:

  • Jackson County Federal, Holton, Kansas, Thursday, January 6, 1887, page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31678267/holton-ad-1887/.
  • Lyons Daily News, Lyons, Kansas, Thursday January 11, 1912, page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25298760/homes-for-children-lyons/.
These newspaper articles from 1887 and 1912 advertised the arrival of an orphan train. Articles like these let families know they would have an opportunity to adopt children, when the train would be arriving, and sometimes how to apply for adoption.

Articles about agents arranging orphan train trips:

  • The Fredonia Weekly Herald, Fredonia, Kansas, Friday May 26, 1916, page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29278003/letter-from-anna-about-fredonia-kids/.
This newspaper article gives us a glimpse into how an agent would arrange a train arrival with local communities. In this example, Agent Anna Laura Hill, who worked for the Children’s Aid Society, wrote to a doctor in Fredonia, Kansas, telling him how many children she would be bringing, when they would arrive, and where they will stay. She also told him the names and ages of all of the children who would be in the group.

Articles about children of color:

  • The Holton Signal, Holton, Kansas, Wednesday September 22, 1886, page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23598123/holton-placement-i/.
While it was less common for children of color to be placed out by orphan train, this newspaper article proves that it did happen.

Articles/photographs about orphan train arrivals:

  • Orphan train arrival, Blue Rapids, Kansas, February 25, 1908, National Orphan Train Complex, 2021.20.1.
This photograph is one of the only photos we have found of an orphan train arriving. This picture was taken on February 25, 1908 in blue Rapids, Kansas. The orphans are standing on the back of the train car with the agents who traveled with them.
  • The Blue Rapids Times, Blue Rapids, Kansas, Tuesday February 25, 1908, page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73042017/blue-rapids-placement/.
This newspaper article tells us more about the arrival of the Blue Rapids orphan train in 1908. It mentions the names of the local committee members, and their responsibility to approve any prospective families for adoption. The article also lists the names of the families who took in children.
  • St. Louis Post Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday October 28, 1900, page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13721221/pilots-grove-mo-placement/.
This article gives us a wonderful account of what it was like to experience an orphan train arrival. The author gives us quotes from people who watched the train arrive or wanted to adopt, and describes scenes at the station, on the street, and at the church where the children were selected.

Articles about agents checking up on children after placement:





  • Fort Scott Daily Monitor, Thursday April 1, 1880, page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8565178/james-brace-checks-up/.
  • Click for better image.
    The Leonardville Monitor, Leonardville, Kansas, Thursday January 26, 1888, page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83373852/mccully-checks-up-leonardville/.
The article on the left was written following J. P Brace’s trip around Kansas to check up on the children who had been placed there. The article gives us an idea about how successful the orphan train program was, and shows that the Children’s Aid Society did follow up with children in placed.
The article on the right tells us about Mr. W. McCully, who worked for the Children’s Aid Society. Mr. McCully was a local agent – meaning that instead of living in New York, he lived in Kansas. This enabled him to find better communities and homes for children coming to Kansas by orphan train, made it easier to arrange trips to the area, and made it easier to check up on the children after they were placed.