The Orphan Trains (American Experience)

Between 1853 and 1928, America had a severe orphan crisis on its hands. Long before telephones and the Internet there was no way to connect these abandoned children with proper homes. Along came Minister Charles Loring Brace who decided that if the families couldn't come to the orphans, he would take the orphans to the families. Thus the Orphan Train was born. This documentary explores how as founder of the Children's Aid Society, Charles was able to rescue over 150,000 orphans and then give them their first ride on a train across the country on their way to their new families.