| Merci Train | |
|---|---|
 Photograph of boxcar from French "Merci train," a gift from France to the United States in grateful recognition of U.S. aid to France after World War II.
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The French Gratitude Train (French: Train de la Reconnaissance française), commonly referred to as the Merci Train, were 49 World War I era "forty and eight" boxcars gifted to the United States by France in response to the 1947 U.S. Friendship Train. It arrived in Weehawken, New Jersey on February 3, 1949.
Background
The idea to send a "thank you" gift to the United States for the $40 million in food and other supplies sent to France and Italy in 1947 came from a French railroad worker, and World War II veteran, named Andre Picard. Donations from the Merci Train came from over six million citizens of France and Italy in the form of dolls, statues, clothes, ornamental objects, furniture, and even a Legion of Honour medal purported to have belonged to Napoleon.
History
The boxcars were "forty-and-eights" used during both world wars. The term refers to the cars' carrying capacity, said to be 40 men or eight horses. Built starting in the 1870s as regular freight boxcars, they were originally used in military service by the French army in both World Wars, and then later used by the German occupation in World War II and finally by the Allied liberators.
In 1949, France sent 49 of those boxcars to the United States (one for each state and the Territory of Hawaii) laden with various treasures, as a show of gratitude for the liberation of France. This train was called the Merci Train, and was sent in response to trains full (over 700 boxcars) of supplies known as the Friendship Train sent by the American people to France in 1947. Each of the Merci Train boxcars carried five tons of gifts, all of which were donated by private citizens.
The Train and all 49 cars arrived aboard the Magellan on February 3, 1949, with over 25,000 onlookers in attendance. On the side of the gift-laden French freighter was painted, "MERCI AMERICA". Immediately the trains were distributed amongst the states.
Boxcars
The Merci Train boxcars were opened and turned into travelling exhibits before each state committee distributed the entire contents. The 43 surviving boxcars are on public display within each state as follows:
| Boxcar | Image | Location | City or town | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum 34°41′31″N 86°35′10″W / 34.692051°N 86.586194°W |
Huntsville | The Alabama State Archives has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Arizona |
|
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park 33°32′15″N 111°55′24″W / 33.537500°N 111.923333°W |
Scottsdale | The Arizona Capitol Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| Arkansas |
|
American Legion Post 41 34°31′39″N 90°35′18″W / 34.527528°N 90.588361°W |
Helena–West Helena | The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| California | American Legion Post 509 36°46′56″N 119°46′22″W / 36.782337°N 119.772787°W |
Fresno | ||
| Colorado | Unknown | The Woodruff Memorial Library has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | ||
| Connecticut | Destroyed | The Abbey of Regina Laudis was gifted a French church bell from the boxcar. | ||
| Delaware | American Legion Post 6 38°38′39″N 75°36′33″W / 38.644101°N 75.609211°W |
Seaford | Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 1320 of Sussex County | |
| Florida | Holly Hill City Hall 29°14′40″N 81°02′25″W / 29.244416°N 81.040179°W |
Holly Hill | The city hall has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Georgia |
|
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History 34°01′26″N 84°36′52″W / 34.024000°N 84.614400°W |
Kennesaw | The Georgia State Archives has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| Idaho |
Old Idaho State Penitentiary 43°36′10″N 116°09′43″W / 43.602700°N 116.162000°W |
Boise | The Idaho Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Illinois | Unknown | |||
| Indiana | Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum 41°05′36″N 85°14′46″W / 41.093330°N 85.246208°W |
Fort Wayne | The Fort Wayne History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Iowa | Antique Acres 42°36′35″N 92°27′27″W / 42.609824°N 92.457628°W |
Cedar Falls | The Iowa Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Kansas | [1] | Veterans Memorial Park 38°52′19″N 99°18′03″W / 38.872050°N 99.300760°W |
Hays | Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 1543 of Ellis County |
| Kentucky |
|
Kentucky Railway Museum 37°39′26″N 85°35′36″W / 37.657103°N 85.593405°W |
New Haven | The Kentucky Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| Louisiana |
|
Old Louisiana State Capitol 30°26′49″N 91°11′20″W / 30.446881°N 91.188861°W |
Baton Rouge | |
| Maine | Railway Village Museum 43°54′11″N 69°37′18″W / 43.902926°N 69.621776°W |
Boothbay | The Maine State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Maryland |
|
B&O Railroad Museum 39°17′08″N 76°37′57″W / 39.285509°N 76.632619°W |
Baltimore | The Montgomery County Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| Massachusetts | Destroyed | |||
| Michigan | American Legion Post 183 42°40′04″N 84°36′25″W / 42.667663°N 84.606928°W |
Lansing | Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 946 of Eaton County. | |
| Minnesota |
Minnesota Military Museum 46°04′52″N 94°20′49″W / 46.081073°N 94.347034°W |
Little Falls | Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Grand Voiture du Minnesota. | |
| Mississippi |
|
Old GM&O Depot 32°17′55″N 90°10′45″W / 32.298546°N 90.179118°W |
Jackson | The Museum of Mississippi History has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. |
| Missouri |
Dakotaland Museum 38°41′30″N 93°15′33″W / 38.691700°N 93.259033°W |
Sedalia | Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 333 of Pettis County. | |
| Montana | Montana Military Museum 46°37′21″N 112°05′51″W / 46.622532°N 112.097600°W |
Fort Harrison | The Montana Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Nebraska | Destroyed | The Nebraska Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | ||
| Nevada |
Nevada State Railroad Museum 35°58′13″N 114°51′25″W / 35.970306°N 114.856810°W |
Carson City | The Nevada State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| New Hampshire | 126 Reed St. 42°59′48″N 71°28′56″W / 42.996633°N 71.482133°W |
Manchester | Saint Anselm College has a collection of gifts from the boxcar. | |
| New Jersey | Destroyed | The New Jersey Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | ||
| New Mexico |
Expo New Mexico 35°04′50″N 106°34′14″W / 35.080554°N 106.570564°W |
Albuquerque | The fair grounds has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| New York | Forty and Eight Voiture 92 43°06′41″N 75°20′48″W / 43.11138°N 75.346719°W |
Whitesboro | The Met has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| North Carolina |
North Carolina Transportation Museum 35°41′15″N 80°26′00″W / 35.687539°N 80.433338°W |
Spencer | The North Carolina History Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| North Dakota |
North Dakota Heritage Center 46°49′06″N 100°46′48″W / 46.818435°N 100.779894°W |
Bismarck | The North Dakota Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Ohio |
Camp Perry 41°32′33″N 83°01′13″W / 41.542523°N 83.020277°W |
Near Port Clinton | The Ohio Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Oklahoma | J. D. McCarty Center 35°13′54″N 97°24′35″W / 35.231790°N 97.409588°W |
Norman | The Oklahoma History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Oregon | Simpson Park 43°24′57″N 124°13′28″W / 43.415892°N 124.224374°W |
North Bend | The Benton County Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Pennsylvania |
Fort Indiantown Gap 40°25′56″N 76°34′12″W / 40.432089°N 76.569960°W |
Near Jonestown | The Blair County and Lycoming County historical societies have collections of gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Rhode Island |
Museum of Work and Culture 41°59′57″N 71°30′58″W / 41.999296°N 71.516107°W |
Woonsocket | The museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| South Carolina | Memorial Park 34°13′10″N 80°14′51″W / 34.219331°N 80.247577°W |
Bishopville | ||
| South Dakota | State Fairgrounds 44°21′48″N 98°13′47″W / 44.363464°N 98.229703°W |
Huron | The Dakotaland Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Tennessee | American Legion Post 145 36°35′09″N 82°10′53″W / 36.585750°N 82.181491°W |
Bristol | The Tennessee State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Texas | Texas Military Forces Museum 30°18′50″N 97°45′41″W / 30.313761°N 97.761278°W |
Camp Mabry | The Briscoe History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Utah |
|
Utah State Railroad Museum 41°13′19″N 111°58′45″W / 41.222013°N 111.979280°W |
Ogden | |
| Vermont | Vermont National Guard Library and Museum 44°30′02″N 73°09′27″W / 44.500439°N 73.157397°W |
Colchester | The Vermont Historical Society and the Wood Art Gallery have collections of gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Virginia |
Virginia War Museum 37°01′10″N 76°27′13″W / 37.019476°N 76.453647°W |
Newport News | ||
| Washington | Sarg Hubbard Riverside Park 46°36′07″N 120°28′29″W / 46.601932°N 120.474826°W |
Yakima | The Karshner Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| West Virginia | Veterans' Park 37°25′06″N 81°35′24″W / 37.418257°N 81.589946°W |
Welch | Tu-Endie-Wei State Park has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Wisconsin |
|
National Railroad Museum 44°29′00″N 88°02′53″W / 44.483306°N 88.048000°W |
Ashwaubenon | The Hoard Historical Museum and the Wisconsin Historical Society have collections of gifts from the boxcar. |
| Wyoming | American Legion Post 6 41°08′18″N 104°47′38″W / 41.138219°N 104.793853°W |
Cheyenne | The Wyoming Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. | |
| Territory of Hawaii |
|
Hawaiian Railway Society 21°19′55″N 158°02′46″W / 21.331897°N 158.046105°W |
Ewa Beach |
Further reading
- Broch, Ludivine (November 27, 2017). "'The Merci Train: Remembering the World Wars in 52,000 Objects'". University of Kent. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
External links
