Merci Train Memorial

The Merci Train, also known as the French Gratitude Train, was a group of 49 gift-filled rail cars sent to the American people in 1949 by the citizens of France as a spontaneous act of gratitude for France’s liberation during World War II and for the more than 700 boxcars of food and other supplies donated by U.S. citizens to aid Europe’s postwar recovery. Millions of French families contributed items, and each of the 48 states received a boxcar, while the District of Columbia and Hawaii shared the 49th car. Often called "40 & 8" cars because they could carry 40 men or 8 horses, the boxcars had been built beginning in the 1870s and were used in both World Wars to transport troops and supplies. The cars were adorned with coats of arms of the provinces of France and filled with offerings from the French people as a heartfelt thank you to America. The 49 cars arrived in New York harbor aboard the ship Magellan on February 3, 1949, and because their wheel-base was too narrow for American rail tracks, they were moved to the states by flatcar. The boxcar given to Mississippi reached Jackson at 4:00 pm on February 12, 1949, after traveling on rail lines through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, then briefly stopping in Meridian, Mississippi, for transfer to the Illinois Central rail line. Dignitaries present for its arrival included Governor Fielding L. Wright, Mayor Allen C. Thompson, Department of Archives and History Director Dr. William D. McCain, and French Consul-General to New Orleans Lionel Vasse. Its many gifts included paintings, drawings, handmade clothing, lace, dolls, medals, musical instruments, flags, candlesticks, and letters. These were displayed for two weeks at the Central Farmer's Market on Woodrow Wilson Drive, drew large crowds, and were later distributed to institutions and organizations throughout Mississippi, with some items remaining in the museum collections of the Department of Archives and History.

Jackson, Mississippi · United States