The Merci Train with Daphne Schmitz Davis

Date: Wednesday, February 25 2026

In postwar 1947, Americans put together a Friendship Train of 700 boxcars to send much needed aid to war-torn France and Allied Europe. The French people responded 18 months later by sending 48 train cars full of tokens of gratitude. These special boxcars, called Merci Trains (or Gratitude or Thank You Trains), filled with personal items (as they had nothing else) such as medals, wedding dresses, toys, dolls, family heirlooms, artwork, etc.--all sacrificial gifts--were sent to each state in America. There were parades and pageantry as the Merci Trains traveled throughout each state. Arizona is one of only a handful of states with a fully-restored Merci Train and the only state to have the complete collection of personal items intact. The Merci Train is located at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. The complete collection of personal items can be found at the Capitol Museum in Phoenix with a few pieces on loan to the Railroad Park. Daphne Schmitz Davis, president of Questers International, will share this incredible story of international unity. Questers is an international organization over 80 years old with a mission statement of keeping history alive through preservation, restoration and education. Questers produced eight storyboards around the boxcar to tell this amazing story. No charge.

• Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

• Dates