The board of directors for the National Orphan Train Complex, Inc., (NOTC) is pleased to announce that the Kansas State Historical Society has awarded a $100,000 grant to repair the south side of the foundation of the Union Pacific Depot. For a number of years, the board has been documenting issues with the foundation, caused by shifting soil and bricks which causes water to drain near the foundation. This has been made worse by a shallow horizontal drain that does not function well.
One of only two depots with similar architecture are still standing in the United States, Concordia’s Union Pacific Depot was built in 1917 by Superintendent J.P. Cary. Its style is 19th and 20th century Revival of Mission/Spanish Colonial and American Bungalow/Craftsman architecture. Passengers to and from the area were served by this depot until 1954. It remained in a nearly unaltered state until the restoration was completed in 2007. The depot is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Union Pacific Depot serves as the main museum building, housing important artifacts and displays that preserve the stories of Orphan Train Riders. NOTC is the only museum in the nation dedicated to preserving the complete 75-year history of the Orphan Train movement. Descendants from Kansas and across the nation visit the museum weekly.
Concordia received three Orphan Trains from the New York City area in the late 1800s. A number of descendants of several of those Riders make their home in the North Central Kansas area today. Kansas itself received more than 8,000 Riders. More than 250,000 children were Orphan Train Riders to all 48 contiguous states, with descendants today estimated in the millions.
Annually, nearly 5000 visitors from across the nation, and several foreign countries, travel to Concordia with the express purpose of visiting the NOTC. These visitors impact our economy in a significant manner by visiting other attractions, eating, shopping, and staying overnight in the area. The museum collects and submits sales taxes on admissions and gift shop sales, another important impact on our community. During the past 22 years that NOTC has been in operation, from the building restoration to continuing maintenance projects, local contractors are used whenever possible. Wages paid by these businesses remain in the community to help ensure a stable economic environment.
The NOTC Board of Directors appreciates all the support provided by the Cloud County Tourism and Convention Bureau, the city of Concordia, the Concordia Chamber of Commerce, and Cloud County.
This project is partially supported by a Heritage Trust Fund grant from the Kansas State Historical Society. Stabilizing and repairing portions of the south depot foundation which will include new drainage and proper grading of the existing soil, will cost approximately $160,000. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation has provided $30,000 toward this project with $15,000 raised through private donations.
The repairs to the depot foundation are projected to begin sometime this summer with an expected completion date of fall 2026. Once the project has been completed, the depot will be ready to welcome descendants of Riders and other visitors to Concordia and Cloud County for many years in the future.
