J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Hello Dolly!

Image

Dolls have always been an integral part of American culture, and during the Civil War, they served more purposes than just posing as playthings. Dolls were frequently used to smuggle desperately needed medical supplies across enemy lines. Drugs were stuffed into the dolls’ china heads and, in fact, one such doll was recently discovered.  Bisque and porcelain dolls wearing patriotic clothing were hot items during the War Between the States, especially in cities, where more families could obtain European imports. In rural America, handmade dolls made of rags and corn husks provided comfort, and were important contributions to a society fragmented with political unrest and turbulence.

After the war ended, dolls evolved as far as detail in their design, but they still carried a message of patriotism, especially once WWI broke out. Kewpie dolls were all the rage in the Roaring 20’s, but during the Great Depression, no one could afford dolls, so paper dolls were invented. The 30’s also brought us the very first collectible doll, which was none other than Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind.” And WWII gave us G.I. Joe. Fashion dolls, such as our beloved Barbie, appeared in the 1960’s, as did the first African American dolls with realistic features.

Still, the Civil War forever remains in our psyche, and collectors are still able to purchase doll replications of famous generals and not so famous soldiers. Just for fun, here is a link to a website that offers some of these collectors’ items. Fiddle-dee-dee!

http://www.dollsamerica.com/ciwar18.html

Single Post Navigation

7 thoughts on “Hello Dolly!

  1. Every weekend i used to visit this web site, for the reason that i
    wish for enjoyment, for the reason that this this
    site conations truly fastidious funny stuff too.

  2. Hi, I do believe this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am
    going to come back yet again since i have saved as a favorite
    it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help
    other people.

  3. It’s not my first time to visit this website, i am visiting this site dailly and get pleasant
    facts from here every day.

  4. Nice answers in return of this query with genuine arguments and telling
    all about that.

  5. Everything is very open with a precise clarification of
    the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is very helpful.
    Many thanks for sharing!

  6. Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of
    any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest
    twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time
    and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.

    Please let me know if you run into anything.
    I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

Leave a Reply to SamaraCancel reply

Discover more from J.D.R. Hawkins

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading