Merci Train - Colorado
The Colorado Merci Train car has been missing for many years. The photos below show the car just after it arrived in Denver. There were two small brass plates on each car. The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden has one of the plates. The Voiture 97 of the 40&8 Society has the other We would welcome any further historical or current information about the boxcar and the hundreds of gifts it delivered to the state. |
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Here are a couple of links to a recently written article by Olivia Lowe for a Loveland, Colorado newspaper.
A WWII-era valentine of friendship and gratitude - Part 1
A WWII-era valentine of friendship and gratitude - Part 2
Click on the images below to view full size
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The photos are credited to the American Legion Leyden-Chiles-Wickersham Post One and the Voiture 97 of the 40&8 Society.
The picture on the right shows Art Haynie, and Len Carlon of the LCW, Drew Pearson, Larry Brewster, and Harold McConnell.
There are two plaques on display with one being at the Colorado Railroad Museum and the other one being at the American Legion Post 1/Voiture 97, 40&8 Society. Here's a picture of one of the plaques.
In August of 2010, we received an email from Ms. Sara Williamson, an employee of the Woodruff Memorial Library in LaJunta, Colorado, saying the library had a collection of six dolls, and that she had been told by Sandy Messick, Director of Library Services, that she believed the collection was part of the gifts that came from France in the Colorado boxcar of the 1949 Merci Train. Ms. Williamson's father told Sara about our web site, and following her visit to the web site sent us the aforementioned email. Sara then mentioned to Ms. Messick of her contacting us and of our eagerness to know more about the collection. Needless to say, we were thrilled when Ms. Messick soon sent us an email offering photographs of the dolls, which photos taken by Gena Williams, are displayed below.
We are very grateful to all three of these named ladies for their willingness to help us bring you news of a few more of wonderful gifts from the (1949) grateful people of France. Ms. Messick has told us that the museum hopes to soon have a display case to house dolls so that visitors to the library will be able to see them.
For further information as to directions to, and hours of operation of, the Library Contact:
Sandy Messick - Director of Library Services
Woodruff Memorial Library
522 Colorado Ave
La Junta, CO 81050
(719) 384-4612 - FAX (719) 383-2514
lajunta.colibraries.org
Photos by Gena McMillan
Used with permission from her and the City of La Junta, CO
Click on the images below to view full size
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