Join Iowa author and historian Darcy Maulsby at the Prairie City Public Library for a look at Iowa’s orphan train heritage.

From 1854 to 1929, a network of “orphan trains” relocated as many as 300,000 children from 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. For many, this was a story of second chances, hope and resilience. Audiences will be touched by the incredible stories of some of these orphan train riders and how their lives evolved after moving to Iowa.