CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Train and rail enthusiasts can journey back in time to the 1850s-1920s to learn about the history of Orphan Trains, in a presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Gutekunst Public Library given by Dr. Rudy Daniels.

STATE CENTER — Train and rail enthusiasts can journey back in time to the 1850s-1920s to learn about the history of Orphan Trains in a presentation 7 p.m. Thursday at the Gutekunst Public Library.

Sponsored in part by Humanities Iowa and presented by Rudy Daniels, the program tells the story of a great migration of youth who traveled by rail from the East Coast for better lives in other states.

“The Orphan Train Movement is a uniquely American phenomenon. No other country had this type of activity,” Daniels said. “It was all conducted by private charitable groups. The federal government wasn’t involved.”

In a span of 75 years, an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 children were relocated via Orphan Trains. Some were as young as a few weeks old, while others were in their late teens. Some of these children had lived on the streets — orphaned or abandoned — while others were juvenile delinquents.

“Many states before the 1920s didn’t have adoption laws so what was used was an indentured service agreement for up to age 18,” Daniels said. “These various groups, particularly the Children’s Aid Society, said that instead of sentencing a child to 20 years in an adult prison, why not have them learn to work on farms and engage in healthy activities with Christian families.”

Most of these youth were placed with farm families. Boys worked the land while girls prepared food and took care of housework. Some experiences were more positive than others.

Daniels said he welcomes questions and comments during his presentations.

“This is the first time that Dr. Daniels has been to the Gutekunst Public Library. I am most looking forward to learning about a period in history that I know very little about, and I am hoping to learn if there are any families with local connections to the orphan trains,” Library Director Mara Edler said.

Daniels retired as assistant dean and department chair of Railroad Operations Technology at Western Iowa Tech Community College. He is the author of “Trains Across the Continent North American Railroad History,” a complete history of United States and Canadian railroads. It was written at the request of the railroad industry.

Daniels is also the author of “The Great Railroad War: United States Railway Operations During World War I.” He has a doctorate in Russian and Soviet Studies from Pennsylvania State University. He has taught at colleges and universities in the U.S. and in Germany. He created the “Education Section” website portion for the Federal Railroad Administration for use by students. He is a frequent consultant on various projects.

The program is free and open to the public.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at

641-753-6611 or

sjordan@timesrepublican.com