NATIONAL ORPHAN TRAIN COMPLEX ANNUAL CELEBRATION!

On September 11, 2010 the NATIONAL ORPHAN TRAIN COMPLEX hosted the annual National Orphan Train Reunion at the museum in Concordia Kansas where visitors were treated to an entirely new museum layout designed by curator Muriel Anderson. Among the many new exhibits and informative displays was this two cube exhibit highlighting the early life of Orphan Train Rider Oliver Nordmark (my grandfather). Each cube included two audio recordings that visitors could listen to through the headphones attached to the side of the display cases.

The first recording, and corresponding visuals, told of Oliver's experiences in the Children's Village Orphange in NYC after being removed from his home due to neglect. This included the story of his first night in the orphanage when he cried himself to sleep, fearful of what lay ahead for him, as well as his experience of being sent to the Power House Jail in the Orphanage after being caught breaking a uniform rule by wearing two uniform shirts instead of one on a particularly cold winter morning.

Oliver's second recording told of his feelings and experience of being chosen to ride an Orphan Train after being in the orphanage for one year. He and his younger brother Edward traveled to Bern Kansas where they were placed with a local farmer and his wife.

On the second cube, visitors listened to Oliver's tale of running away from his second placement - the McCammon's Farm - by jumping onto the side of a departing freight train as it pulled out of Esbon, Kansas on July 4, 1913. In search of a life of his own, Oliver traveled on the side of the train for nearly 200 miles to Goodland Kansas where he found work with a local farmer bringing in the wheat harvest.

In the final recording, Oliver tells the museum visitors of his experiences building and living in a sod house on the prairie outside of Goodland Kansas, complete with rats nibbling on his toes at night and rain dripping through the roof of the house for several days after a storm.

In an email I received from Muriel Anderson, she commented, "I've had a really great reception of the new exhibit. People really like to hear the voice of an actual rider."

This year's reunion featured, in addition to the new museum layout and exhibits, a tribute to MARY ELLEN JOHNSON - founder of the Orphan Train Historical Society of America (OTHSA).

For more information on the National Orphan Train Complex and upcoming State Reunions, be sure and visit their website at http://www.orphantraintdepot.com/

DAY #5 - Let The Talking Begin!

Thankfully I finally got a decent night's sleep on Sunday, just in time, too, since today was go, go, go! I visited Oakdale Elem. for two presentations; one to 5th grade and one to 3rd graders. The kids were fantastic and had read all of the first two books and part of Peanut Butter For Cupcakes so they were very prepared to soak up everything I had to tell them and they had great questions to boot! The 3rd graders had even written me thank you letters telling me what part of Oliver's story they liked best. General consensus: the story of Little Red the piglet that Oliver couldn't bring himself to kill but instead cared for as a pet, was the best. It's a wonderful lesson in compassion.

I was also pleased, while at Oakdale, to have the chance to meet Sharon Benson from the Salina Arts & Humanities Commission, the organization that is sponsoring my trip.

After a quick lunch, I headed out to Cottonwood Elementary School to talk with 4th graders who although had not had a chance to read the first book yet, were very curious about what I had to say and especially enjoyed hearing Oliver's tape recording of life in a sodhouse - complete with rats nibbling on his toes in the night! It was a great visit and I even had a chance to use a "smart board" for the first time. What will they come up with next??? Chalk is definitely "old school" at this point I'm afraid!

At 4:00 I met my hosts at the mall for a peach smoothie......yes, I had to know everything that was in it before I would try it....and frankly the sugar content kept me going until....well, I'm still going and it's 11:25 pm.

After dinner and a quick tour of where tomorrow's schools are located, I visited the Eaglecrest Retirement Community (pictures above) where I was greeted by a very warm and welcoming crowd of active seniors who made me feel right at home. In fact, in a few years, I'll probably come back and move in!

It is not lost on me that today, April 19th, is the 16th anniversary of Oliver Nordmark's passing. There are no coincidences....Love you Granddad, I hope I'm doing your story justice :)

That's all for today....See you tomorrow!