Emma Ducceschi 1

Works Cited
Secondary Sources:
"The Orphan Train - Sociological Images." Sociological Images The Orphan Train Comments.
The Society Pages, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2015.
From this source, I learned a lot about the background and basic concepts of the Orphan Train. I
found it very helpful on giving simple, well known information, but it didnt go into very much
detail or reveal any lesser known information. The source was a good eye opener, and was very
easy to understand and process.
Holt, Marilyn Irvin. The Orphan Trains: Placing out in America. Lincoln: U of Nebraska, 1992.
Print.
This source was a book, and it was packed with information regarding orphan trains, the figures
that rode the trains, and the purpose. The book carefully and thoughtfully analyzed the system of
the orphan trains, and gave insight into the lives of the children who rode the train.
Kidder, Clark. Emily's Story: The Brave Journey of an Orphan Train Rider. Wisconsin?: C.
Kidder, 2007. Print.
Another book source, and also stuffed with tons of information. This book was a little harder to
comprehend and understand, but it gave amazing insight into the life of an orphan train
passenger. The author talks about his grandmother, who was a passenger on the orphan train. It
tells about how she went on to become a successful woman, and all of the obstacles she faced
along the way.
"The Orphan Trains." PBS. PBS, 1996. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.
This online source gave valuable insight into the first hand thoughts and opinions of the
orphaned children. It showed that although some were excited to see their new future and get a
new life, many were scared and felt threatened by the huge change. It also hinted that not many
adults understood how the children felt, and most ignored the feelings of the orphans.
Caravantes, Peggy. Orphan Trains: A History Perspectives Book. S.l.: Cherry Lake Pub, 2013.
Print.
This book had a lot of useful pictures, and captions that were very detailed in describing the
pictures. It showed the many emotions of the children, and how little most of them had packed
and were carrying with them. It also showed how most adopters were farmers and country, based
on the way they dressed and carried themselves.
Summerford, Rhonda Bellows. Orphan Trains: Do the Benifits Outweight the Damage? Rep.
N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

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This lengthy report was packed full of information concerning the benefits and doubts of the
orphan train, and gives a lot of opinion altering reasons and details to support the central belief.
The amount of useful information in this source is amazing, and gave a lot of evidence.
Annette R. The Orphan Trains. New York: New Discovery, 1994. Print.
This book provided a lot of basic knowledge about orphan trains, however it was a very easy
read, and only took about half an hour to get through the whole book. It gave a lot of information
on the founder of the orphan train, his inspiration, and lifestyle. It also provided more insight on
the struggles of the children prior to the orphan trains, and success stories.
"Orphan Trains of Nebraska." NE Orphan Train: NEGenWeb. USGenNet, 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 13
Dec. 2015.
This source was an official database for the Orphan Train of Nebraska, and had a ton of
information regarding the families and places the orphaned children that rode the train came
from. It also gave information on a few of the people that rode the train, and gave their personal
stories as well.
"Orphan Train Rider Stories." National Orphan Train Complex. WordPress, n.d. Web. 13 Dec.
2015.
This website had about fifteen named of people who rode the train listed, and personal accounts
and stories from each. The descriptions were lengthy, and gave a valuable perspective of how the
riders felt and just what they were going through as they made their way into their new lives.
Children's Aid Society. "Charles Loring Brace." History. The Children's Aid Society, n.d. Web.
10 Jan. 2016.
This source gave information on Charles Loring Brace, founder of the Orphan Train. It told a
little about his background and history, yet didnt give much information on his personal
accomplishments and his long term effect on the world around him.
Primary Sources:
'Mister, Won't You Take Me?' 1910. Courier Post, Bowling Green.
This picture really opened up how the passengers felt toward the orphan trains. Most of the
children in this photograph are smiling, and look excited to be where they are. I expected most
children to be angry or sad that they were leaving their lives behind, but it seems that they are
glad to have a new start.
Homeless Children. 1920. La Salle Street, Chicago.
This newspaper add surprised me. It maze just how many children needed homes, for there were
a lot of children available for adoption in this one weekly paper. I also noticed how most of the

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older children available for adoption were boys, and I'm not sure if that's just a coincidence or if
the males and females were treated with different priority levels.
Vantage Press. Don't Forget. 1940. New York.
This picture was accompanied by multiple quotes of those who had rode on the Orphan Trains,
and it had many opinions in it. The picture had a lot of emotion with it, for it was a picture a six
year old girl drew that said Dont Forget. She gave it to the family that held her temporarily
before she was permanently adopted.
Jacob Riis Collection. The Price of Warmth. 1890. Courtesy Museum, New York City.
This photograph depicted two young boys sitting on top of a steam gate in New York City, in
1890. It showed me how little they really had, and the fact that they were alone in a city as big as
New York really hit home. They were sitting over steam in the middle alone, with very little
clothing.
Children of the Orphan Train. 1900's. Pioneer Press, Minnesota. 'Orphan Train' Riders Share
Common Bond. Web. 1 Jan. 2016.
This was a picture source, which showed young boys ranging from ages approximately 5 to 15.
The younger the boys were, the happier they seemed to be, getting onto this train that would take
them to a new home and family. The older the boys are, the more apprehensive they look, and
that says something about how the streets of New York City mold people to be.
Connie Dipasquale. "Riders on an Orphan Train." Riders on an Orphan Train. Kansas Collection
Articles, n.d. Web. 3 Jan. 2016.
This source gave the name of a rider of the orphan train, and then gave what every one of her
family members said about her. Her children and grandchildren spoke about her, and with each
description you could see just how happy of a life she had lived, and how big of an impact she
had on those around her.