courtesy of The Indiana State Archives
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home was founded in 1865 to provide care, education and maintenance to the orphaned and destitute children of Civil War Union Army veterans. The Home is located approximately two miles south of Knightstown, [Decatur] Indiana on State Road 140 and consists of 419 acres that include an administration building, children's dormitory cottages, Morton Memorial School, a hospital, dairy farm, camp grounds and recreational facilities. Children from the ages of 4 to 17 are cared for with each child being eligible for vocational training or college at state expense. The Home is owned by the State of Indiana and is managed through a superintendent who reports to the State Department of Health.
