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Barbara Brush
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| October 30, 2005 - When you think of Towanda, Kansas, Do you think of
dolls? You will from now on - Meet Barbara Brush --- Her doll museum and hospital is a curiosity that many don't even know exists.
“Oh some of them wonder what’s in there. Other’s know, but just don’t take the time to stop.” |
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Room after room after room ---- over there ----- in here --- around this corner ---- over here --- actually, they are everywhere --- dolls of every shape and size...almost 5,000...of the painted ladies
“I had seven granddaughters and I lived in Texas and I decided to fix up some garage sale dolls for them to play with.” |
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In Barbara's Towanda Museum, dolls stand at attention like an army of painted faces just looking for a smile.
“I think each doll, even though they are made by the SAE company, there is something different about them.”
In Towanda since 1989, Barbara has found her niche both in the Museum and in her doll hospital. |
“It’s a labor of love, I just have fun doing it. I learned ‘how’ to do it and I love doing it. I think if I really had to do it for a living and ‘had’ to do it, I don’t think I’d like it. But if you just do it for fun…I like it. There! She’s ready to go back and play with the others.”
She even has an intensive care area, where very sick dolls wait for their turn at a new life.
“They are sick and when they get well they go into the other room.” |
“I built every bit of this. Everything you see here from one end to the other from the floor up…I built it all.”
Barbara's husband Jim was both architect and builder.
“The main thing I liked about it, is that it kind a got her out of my hair and gave her something she likes to do so I could do my thing I guess.” |
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And with all these dolls, Jim was hoping his wife would make a million.
“Oh yeah, get us rich and famous, but about all she got was the famous, she didn’t get the rich.”
Well, that didn't happen, but the collection does continue to grow. |
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“They just fascinate me when you get so many different ones.”
Most days, Barbara works with her sister in the museum, but today her husband is the lucky one….surrounded by frozen smiles and dresses and lace….it proves even a guy can find a home in a doll museum.
“Looks about done to me.” |
Barbara Brush’s doll hospital is located in Towanda, Kansas at 119 S. Sixth Street and she says everyone is welcome to visit.
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