The Boxcar Children Mysteries

Happy 50th Birthday to the Boxcar Children!

The Boxcar Children began as a 1924 novel by schoolteacher Gertrude Chandler Warner, telling the story of four orphaned siblings who make a home in an abandoned railroad boxcar. The book’s independent characters and themes of resilience made it a lasting favorite, leading to its revision and republication in 1942. The updated version, published by Albert Whitman & Company, became an enormous success, leading Warner to write 18 more books in the series before she died in 1979. The series has since been continued by other authors under her name, cementing its legacy as a beloved and enduring children’s classic.

This map, dated 1990, was published by Albert Whitman & Company to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the revised edition. Dozens of locations that feature prominently throughout the novels are illustrated and labeled in a charming and whimsical style. The iconic red boxcar sits not far from a drinking fountain, blueberry patch, swimming pool, and the dump (a convenient scavenging place!).