THE LITTLE FALLS RAILROAD & DOLL MUSEUM
"WHERE TIME STOOD STILL"
2008 NEWSLETTER
Outside, the snow is falling, the temperature has dropped far below zero, and the doors to the Museums are almost hidden by five-foot snowdrifts.
We can't help but wish for an early spring, and warm summer days, as we remember the good times we enjoyed with the many visitors to the Museum in 2007.
During the winter months, we make plans for the coming season's displays and also do a limited amount of doll repair.
The past season, the theme for the Doll Museum was `Fairy Tales". Nine Fairy Tales were represented. The scenes included, "Goldie Locks and the three bears", " Dorothy and the Wizard of OZ", "Cinderella" and the prince, " Little Red Riding Hood",. " Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "Alice in Wonderland", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Rapunzel".
The 2008 theme is "Very Victorian." The setting will be in a Victorian home with life size dolls in beautiful gowns. Another exhibit will portray Shirley Temple from 6" tall to a 36" doll. All the dresses represent the outfits she wore in her movies.
Donations, in 2007, included magazines and newsletters from Margaret Berg and Zada Waller; a collection of photographs, a teddy bear and souvenirs from a doll tour, taken in Germany by Delores Hendersin; a Mrs. Beasley doll, donated by Ruth Nestingen; many dolls from a collection of Vivian Hilden; old dolls from the late Julda Call's collection; several early Barbie dolls from Pat Valk; a 1984 German doll from Sally Due, and many others still to be cataloged.
DR. D, the computer doctor, donated a TREK mountain bike to the Museum. It was raffled off and Russ Lynch of Flintstone, Georgia was the winner. He is the son-in-law of Marv and Sandra Westenberg of Sparta.
Thanks to the support from the Monroe County Historical Society, the Railroad Museum was able to extend the 12" gauge train and build a snow shed. D.J. Builders, Yoder Construction, and the whole Amstutz family was involved in that project. The railroad is an ongoing project, and we are working with the Sparta School District to develop a Transportation teaching unit, which will be available to any school that requests it.
We were thrilled to receive a magnificent "HO" scale layout from the Cistercian Monks. To accommodate the layout required a complete remodeling of the interior of the Railroad Museum. This will be on display for the 2008 season, and should be sensational.
We also received an antique, bamboo train order hoop from Bob Lehmann, at the Captain's Corner, and six Howard Fogg watercolor prints from Dave Livingston.