Research historians and television producers Al and Dave Eicher have created this documentary film, “The Orphan Train Era.” Records this father/son duo discovered about the Orphan Train in Michigan, plus their other extensive research, indicate that 12,500 children were placed in Michigan between 1854 and 1927. Archival photos and footage show an orphaned child’s life in the city, the various child labor jobs and sleeping in tenement “daily lodging” for 7 cents a night.

About the Filmmakers: Al and Dave Eicher, a father-son team, have been working together for 29 years doing research on the History of 20 towns in Michigan. Their discovery of Orphan Train riders in Oxford, Michigan and other discoveries created a new income source for their Television Production Company called Program Source International. Al has been in the Television production business for 66 years…with executive positions at Campbell Ewald Advertising, Magnetic Video Corp., 20th Century Fox and Embassy Television, a Norman Lear Company. David, a Central Michigan graduate. majoring in Communication, started out in the Home Video distribution business at Video Trends Inc. with Blockbuster as one of his many accounts. David joined Program Source International in 1996 To direct the editing and production of many documentaries and TV commercials, and became President of the Company in 2010. The Historical Society of Michigan presented them with the “Award of Merit” for their research in Michigan Town Histories.