Within four years of that train's arrival in Hopkinton, Iowa, the state's residents had taken in more than 6,600 children, most from New York City or other urban orphanages. The trains delivered boys and girls to more than 300 Iowa towns and cities over a 75 year period. 

Some individual Iowa communities took in more than 25 children from the orphan trains. These included some of the larger communities such as Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, but also smaller towns such as Osceola, Emmetsburg, Springville and Sidney. 

In 1900, Manilla, Iowa had only 773 residents but it accepted at least 25 boys and girls. Historians believe that the state's residents eventually welcomed 8,000 to 10,000 orphan train riders. In many other Midwestern states, the numbers were also sizeable.

Wahlmeier: Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 250,000 children were sent out to all continental 48 states and Canada. The majority, state-wise, was sent to New York, New York City received the most close to home. But then as a region the Midwest received the most children.